The Australian Government has successfully built 160 new Trade Training Centres around Australia in just four years - providing thousands of students with new skills and career opportunities.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for School Education Peter Garrett today opened one of the newest Trade Training Centres at St Mary Mackillop College in Canberra.
Trade Training Centres are a key Labor Government initiative to help address skill shortages, boost national productivity and give young people rewarding career pathways.
Over the last four years, the Government has approved $1.2 billion to fund more than 370 Trade Training Centres benefitting more than 1,060 schools around Australia.
The Government will provide $2.5 billion for Trade Training Centres over 10 years to ensure all secondary schools across Australia have access to the state-of-the-art training facilities.
The Centres encourage more students to complete Year 12 by providing clear training pathways at school that are needed for careers in trade and skilled occupations.
The Gillard Labor Government strongly believes that every student, no matter where they live or what school they attend, deserves a great and rewarding education.
Our future prosperity as a nation rests on having world class schools that provide the best learning opportunities for our children.
Through our education reforms, which include building new facilities to modernise our schools, implementing Australia's first ever national curriculum, and empowering local school principals, we are ensuring that no student or school is left behind.
The Government has provided $5.7 million for the Canberra Region Pathways Trade Training Centre.
It will be used by secondary students at St Mary Mackillop College, Merici College, St Clare's College and St Francis Xavier College.
Students at the Canberra schools will now be able to gain qualifications in construction, hospitality and manufacturing.
Further information about the Trade Training Centres in Schools program is available at www.tradetrainingcentres.deewr.gov.au