The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today announced that the Australian Technical College (ATC) – North Brisbane will expand its services and cater for up to 470 students in 2009.
The Federal Member for Petrie, Yvette D’Ath welcomed the announcement and emphasised the value of better integrating these facilities into the broader education and training effort in the local area.
The College will expand opportunities for students to enter the trades by offering a full apprenticeship pathway commencing in Years 11 and 12. Students will also gain the Queensland Certificate of Education.
It will offer Certificate III courses in the following skills shortage vocations: automotive, building and construction, electrotechnology, commercial cookery and metals and engineering.
The College and local high schools have agreed to form a strategic partnership to exchange ideas and consider ways that resources or training models may be shared, which will deliver the best outcome for students from schools across the local community.
The Minister and the Member for Petrie are looking forward to working with the strategic partnership to ensure that all students have access to the best possible vocational education training within the schools and colleges that they attend.
The College will be known as the Australian Trade College – North Brisbane Ltd and will remain a non-government independent school, Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and Supervising Registered Training Organisation (SRTO).
It will continue to work in strong partnership with industry in the development of training programs, to give students in the region the best education and training options available.
Enrolments for the College will be open to all interested students in the North Brisbane region.
The collaboration of the Australian and Queensland Governments and stakeholders has resulted in a locally designed outcome for the North Brisbane region, ensuring that the best education and trade training options are available for their students.
The Government has consulted local stakeholders and all education and training sectors and State and Territory governments regarding future arrangements for each of the 24 ATCs. Announcements will be made regarding individual colleges as negotiations are finalised in the coming months.
As well as better integrating ATCs into existing education and training systems, the Australian Government is delivering $2.5 billion for Trade Training Centres in Schools that will benefit all Australian secondary schools.