$26 million trades centre for Berwick

A new $26 million Trade Careers Centre will be built at Chisholm’s Berwick campus, offering a wide range of training opportunities for people in the region.

The State Government provided $22 million towards the facility and Chisholm $4 million.

Maria Peters, Director and CEO, Chisholm Institute, said the announcement was received with great excitement:

“This new Trade Careers Centre will allow Chisholm to meet the growing demand for apprenticeship, education and training and post trade skills needed in conjunction with industry in the south east growth corridor.”

“The centre will provide pathways for students completing their VCAL and pre- apprenticeship programs at Chisholm’s Technical Education Centre (TEC) at Berwick, exit school leavers as well as enabling individuals not currently engaged in learning to start or build a career.”

The centre will also offer higher level post trade qualifications and key skills in areas such as small business, project management and other value added skills needed by industry and individuals already in the workforce.

The centre’s specialist facilities will include:

• A multi-trade building simulated building site designed to allow multiple trades – including carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying and electrical – to operate simultaneously
• Multi-function electrotechnology and telecommunications laboratories
• Hairdressing and beauty salons

The new centre follows on from the success of the Berwick Technical Education Centre (TEC), which has operated at capacity since its launch in 2009 and offers pathways by building on successful youth engagement and completions in key skill shortage areas.

The new centre will be innovative in its design and will be built in accordance with the sustainable building practices and utilising the latest in green technologies. Program design will offer flexibility in delivery and assessment including at the Centre, in the workplace and online ensuring choices for students and employers that best suit their study and business needs respectively.

Industry will be heavily involved in the facility's development and in the delivery of training. There will be an industry showcase within the facility incorporating the latest equipment, applications and processes from industry, as well as incorporating sustainability and green skills needs in the training of apprentices and those already employed in the key trades. The centre will also host industry workshops and conferences across the region.

“In announcing this exciting development, it is important to acknowledge the support provided by the State Government to allocate the necessary funding in the recent state budget, highlighting their commitment and support for vocational education in the South East,” CEO Maria Peters said.

 “It is vital that youngpeople in the Casey-Cardinia corridor have access to state-of-the-art training. By building this facility, Chisholm continues to ensure that it provides qualifications and career pathways for individuals in its communities, and training that builds the capability and skills needed by industry to ensure strong economic prosperity."