A NEW $35m technical college will be built in Mount Gambier if Labor is elected to govern South Australia next year.
Labor leader Peter Malinauskas, who announced the plan to build the college this week while visiting Mount Gambier, said the new college would be operational by 2026.
The Labor election pledge is to build the technical college at Mount Gambier High School and include the latest equipment to ensure students are being properly prepared for modern trades and give students access to other subjects at the high school to ensure they complete their SACE.
Mr Malinauskas said, in addition to the initial building cost for the college, a further $6 million will be budgeted annually for operating costs.
“Our policy is to build five new technical colleges across the State and if we are not willing to build one in our second largest city then it’s hardly a serious policy about investing in the State’s growth,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“The simple fact is that the lack of access to skills is acting as a constraint to growth and that’s particularly acute in our regional communities.
“Mount Gambier and the Limestone Coast is full of economic opportunity; it’s a part of our State that has been under invested in by the former Labor Government and current Liberal Government.
“If I become Premier, I want to right that wrong.
“Our commitment to build a technical college is the first step in that direction.”
He said the new technical college will not only provide young people in the region with a career pathway for the future but will also provide a pool of talented young people to meet skills shortages in the community.
“Not every kid wants to go to university; we need to invest in pathways for all children so every young person can fulfil their potential,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“We have got to address this need because it isn’t just holding back younger people – it’s holding back the economy.”
Labor claims that the industries with the highest levels of vacancies that are looking for people with vocational qualifications are in the areas of building and construction, food and automotive trades, community services and hospitality.
The technical college will establish partnerships with TAFE and industry training providers and also look to establish partnerships with the forestry sector which is a critical employer in the area.
