The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today announced that the Australian Technical College (ATC) – Western Sydney will expand and cater for up to 800 students in Years 9-12.
The College will be operated by the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation and will continue to work in strong partnership with industry. Enrolments for the College will be open to all interested students in the Greater Western Sydney region.
This announcement fulfils the Government’s commitment to better integrate ATCs with existing education and training systems in NSW, to train more students in the trades and build Australia’s skills base.
The collaboration of the Australian and New South Wales Governments and stakeholders has resulted in a locally designed outcome for the Western Sydney region, ensuring that the best education and trade training options are available for their students.
The College will expand opportunities for students to enter the trades by offering an apprenticeship pathway commencing in Years 9 and 10.
In Years 11-12, the College will offer students a choice between two trade-training pathways: a Certificate III Australian School-based Apprenticeship or a VET-in-Schools qualification, also at the Certificate III level. Students will also gain the Higher School Certificate and may follow a UAI pathway if desired.
It will expand the range of training available to include more skills shortage vocations such as plumbing, carpentry, automotive, electro-technology, commercial cookery, painting and decorating, nursing, aged care, child care, hairdressing and business services.
The ATC is working with the NSW Board of Studies and industry to develop a trade-oriented curriculum.
As a Registered Training Organisation, the College will also forge partnerships with other schools to provide vocational education training, to be delivered in partnership with the local school.
In December 2007, the Government announced that it would honour its election commitment to fund existing contracts for ATCs, which expire on 31 December 2009.
At the beginning of this year just 3,174 students were enrolled in ATCs across the country, well short of the 21,000 promised by the former Liberal government.
ATCs have cost a staggering $440 million already, substantially more than the $289 million over four years allocated by the former Liberal government.
Since then, 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 Rudd Government is delivering $2.5 billion for Trade Training Centres in Schools that will benefit all Australian secondary schools.