NEW AUSTRALIAN TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOR NORTH SYDNEY AREA WILL HELP LOCAL CONSTITUENTS
The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP said today that a new Australian Technical College will be built in North Sydney.
Improving the skills of the Australian workforce is an important part of the Coalition’s bold plan to reduce unemployment to three per cent over the next three years and keep it there.
“I am very pleased to announce that a re-elected Coalition Government will invest in an Australian Technical College in North Sydney which will assist local constituents,” Mr Ruddock said.
“Australia made a huge mistake a generation ago when state and territory governments walked away from technical education and closed technical high schools. The Coalition’s Australian Technical Colleges have reversed this trend and are being embraced by the Australian community.
“This college will provide a choice for those local students who have strong technical or vocational skills to build on the talents they have been born with and to study in an environment designed to allow young Australians to complete their year 12 education while gaining one-third of their apprenticeship.
“I welcome this bold plan to boost vocational and technical education opportunities for the seven out of ten young Australians who do not go directly from school to university,” Philip Ruddock said.
A re-elected Coalition Government will invest $2.1 billion over 10 years into a plan to build 100 new Australian technical Colleges. Of the 100 Australian Technical Colleges, 30 will be new colleges including two specialist Australian Defence Technical Colleges.
The Coalition will also provide funding to enable 70 existing secondary state or independent schools to become Australian Technical Colleges to enable Year 11 and 12 students to gain a Year 12 certificate and a school-based apprenticeship. The Coalition will provide capital grants of up to $10 million for schools to convert into specialist Australian Technical Colleges.
“I will be talking to our local secondary schools to determine their interest in applying for funding of up to $10 million to specialise in technical and vocational education by becoming an Australian Technical College,” Philip Ruddock said.
“The new Colleges will be industry led, and will have strong links to local businesses to ensure that local students are learning the necessary skills to enable them to get a career in our local industries.”
Students at all of the Australian Technical Colleges will:
• undertake years 11 and 12 curriculum in English, maths, science and information technology;
• undertake business education, including how to run a small business and tuition in business management;
• undertake practical education and training in addition to standard years 11 and 12 curricula;
• have the opportunity to sit for their year 12 certificate;
• gain essential skills for the workforce, such as working as part of a team, communication, problem solving, self-management, planning and organising and information technology;
• receive professional careers advice;
• undertake practical work-related experience in a range of industries in areas of the students’ interest; and
• build relationships with local industry through their school-based apprenticeships, leading to employment after school.
The announcement of an extra 100 Australian Technical Colleges is a significant part of the Coalition’s decisive plan to keep Australia strong and prosperous into the future by helping more people into work and into the job they want.
This announcement builds on the Coalition’s comprehensive tax reform plan which will provide incentives to encourage an additional 65,000 people into the workforce over the medium term.
Local residents will also benefit from the Coalition’s plans to make available a $3,000 Work Skills Voucher to any Australian aged 25 and over who do not have year 12 or equivalent or certificate level II or higher qualifications. Each year this will help at least 60,000 Australians, including those in the Hornsby area, to improve their skills and move into the workforce or get the job they want.
Through these measures a re-elected Coalition Government will continue to reward and encourage those who are contributing to Australian society, and Australia’s long term prosperity.