As part of the Rebuilding our TAFEs plan, Premier Mark McGowan was in Kalgoorlie-Boulder today to announce a $10 million funding injection to bolster trades training at Central Regional TAFE (CR TAFE).
A new $9 million Heavy Plant and Engineering Trade Workshop will provide students with a state-of-the-art training environment and support the delivery of job-ready employees to the local resources industry.
An additional $1 million will be spent on upgrades to an existing workshop at the CR TAFE Kalgoorlie campus.
The combined $10 million capital works project will see approximately 400 apprentices trained at the campus each year in high-demand engineering, fabrication, electrical and automotive programs.
The Kalgoorlie TAFE campus spend is part of a $167.4 million investment in capital works projects, announced by the Premier last week, which will see five Western Australian TAFE colleges significantly upgraded.
As part of the McGowan Government's commitment to regional WA, more than half of the total spend has been allocated to projects at regional TAFE colleges.
The capital works projects, key to the State Government's $229.2 million Rebuilding our TAFEs plan, will deliver state-of-the-art learning opportunities for students and boost the Western Australian economy by generating jobs.
The new state-of-the-art training facilities will meet demand for more skilled workers in the region by expanding training options and increasing the number of half price courses available, as part of the State Government's Lower fees, local skills initiative.
Initially launched in January, the initiative halved the cost of training for 34 high priority qualifications. In July, the program was expanded to include an additional 39 courses slashed by up to 72 per cent to align with the State's immediate economic needs following COVID-19.
The courses with reduced fees are also targeted at job opportunities that relate to capital works initiatives such as the Rebuilding our TAFEs plan.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"The people of Kalgoorlie-Boulder can look forward to contemporary, state-of-the-art training facilities where they can train for the jobs of today and into the future.
"This is all part of our plan to drive WA's economic and social recovery, by creating a pipeline of local jobs through investment in infrastructure projects and support of vital industries.
"Keeping our resources sector strong is a priority. It will ensure we are well-positioned to bounce-back as the WA economy recovers."
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
"It is clear vocational education and training will play a major role in WA's economic recovery, and world class facilities will ensure a strong future for the resources sector in the Goldfields.
"As the economy recovers, we will continue to focus on upskilling and training Western Australians to get them back to work in areas that will drive economic activity across the State."
