Construction Begins on $6.4 million Trade Training Centre

Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Harry Jenkins MP, Federal Member for Scullin, has today turned the first sod of the new $6.4 million Peter Lalor Trade Training Centre.

Mr Jenkins was joined by potential students and a band of visionary educators who have championed this project over the past 5 years.

"The Trade Training Centre will be a signature complex highly visible to the community from its site in the grounds of the former Peter Lalor Secondary College on the corner of High and Roberts Streets Lalor," Mr Jenkins said.

The Centre will be built as part of the Australian Government’s Trade Training Centres in Schools program.

"The new Peter Lalor Trade Training Centre will provide our local students with industry relevant training in various industries, including automotive and construction, ensuring they are prepared for the highly skilled workforce of tomorrow," Mr Jenkins said.

"It will ensure that students from schools throughout the City of Whittlesea, no matter what their ability, are engaged and rewarded during their secondary schooling and will help them meet their aspirations.

The Trade Training centre will include an automotive workshop, an automotive small parts workshop, two construction workshops, five theory rooms, three store rooms, two covered outdoor work areas, a machine room and amenities and also the provision of equipment.

It will deliver qualifications in automotive and construction to address skills shortages in trades of carpentry and joiner and motor mechanic.

"I’m delighted that the vision of the leadership of Peter Lalor Vocational College, including its Principal Paul Ryan and past Principal Keith Miller, has today become a reality," Mr Jenkins said.

"It is terrific that Kangan Institute and Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT) are willing partners.

"Throughout the planning of this Trade Training Centre, it has been fantastic to see input from local principals, Hume Whittlesea LLEN, Whittlesea Youth Commitment, the City of Whittlesea, Regional Economic Development organisations, employers and parents.

"Cooperative effort to deliver the needed training opportunities for our youth has been the hallmark of this proposal," Mr Jenkins said.

Peter Lalor Vocational College is the lead school in this group.

Other schools in the cluster include Epping Secondary College, Lalor North Secondary College, Mill Park Secondary College, The Lakes South Morang P-9 School, Thomastown Secondary College, William Ruthven Secondary College and Lalor Secondary College.

"The breadth of the old Peter Lalor Secondary School site is now a wonderful education hub which now includes the Peter Lalor Vocational College, The Peter Lalor Trade Training Centre and the recently completed Merriang Special Developmental School’s Secondary campus," Mr Jenkins said.

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