TAFE colleges in WA will benefit from new equipment as part of a new investment in education and training.
New state-of-the-art equipment will be deployed across the TAFE network in the state, with the aim of training and qualifying Western Australians for local jobs to meet industry needs.
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Announced Thursday, the $25 million investment will equip five TAFE colleges with the program to support training demand and emerging training needs to help prepare students for employment.
South Metropolitan TAFE’s Carlisle campus became the first to benefit from the investment, with automotive refinishing and industrial coating students set to benefit.
Students will now practice using large, state-of-the-art paint spray booths that meet industry standards and Australian requirements.
The new equipment includes three full-draft spray booths, one semi-downdraft spray booth, a paint mixing room, two gun cleaning stations and four prep bays.
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Improvements and additions have also been made to the TAFE extraction systems, including the installation of a new filter wall, new breathing apparatus and hose reels.
The project was funded under the Training Equipment Recycling Program.
This follows substantial growth in TAFE enrollment to more than 150,000 thanks to the McGowan government’s initiative for reduced fees and local skills.
Thanks to this initiative, there have been more than 51,300 publicly funded registrations so far this year.
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Prime Minister Mark McGowan said there is a demand for skilled labor in WA and the investment will ensure West Australians are job ready.
“One of the great things is that if you can train West Australians, people can take advantage of the great jobs available in our state in all kinds of industries,” Mr McGowan said.
“Western Australians can train on state-of-the-art equipment so that when they enter the workforce, they are properly equipped and ready to work on the equipment found in modern workplaces in Western Australia.”
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Education Minister Sue Ellery said government investment in cheaper TAFE courses and industry-standard equipment was helping people find jobs.
“You will remember that under the previous Liberal government, of course, they increased training fees by millions and millions of dollars and in very poor taste beyond the reach of ordinary families. And we’ve really reversed that and we can see record unemployment at a time when training has never been more important than these numbers reflect,” Ms Ellery said.
“So across Western Australia, wherever you are, you can access affordable training on the equipment you’ll see in the workplace when you’re employed.”
