The $75 million Ausgrid Learning Centre at Sydney’s Silverwater has opened by The Federal Minister for Tertiary Education Senator Chris Evans said. 

 

The Centre, funded under the Australian Government’s Education Investment Fund (EIF), will enable around 400 students to be trained in an area of critical skill shortage within the electricity supply industry.

 

“Electrical Apprentices will have access to cutting edge technologies to ensure they receive the most up to date training in a safe and modern environment,” Senator Evans said

 

The Centre features a range of purpose built training facilities including a pole yard for heights training, a substation simulator and electric vehicle technologies.

 

The new building also includes an energy efficiency centre with interactive education facilities to educate builders, students and the general public about the benefits of green building.

 

 

Through the Building Australia’s Future Workforce package the Government is

  • Placing industry at the heart of the training effort, with a new $558 million National Workforce Development Fund
  • Investing to meet the longer-term needs of the economy through a reform focused National Partnership with States and Territories worth $1.75 billion over five years (from 2012-13) and
  • Reforming the apprenticeship system to make it modern and flexible including accelerated apprenticeships and mentoring support
  • Increasing workforce participation by giving disadvantaged Australians the skills they need to get a job.