Release date: 22/06/22

The first of five new technical colleges will be built at Findon High School and will be operational by 2024, with construction set to start later this year.

The sites of the technical colleges were chosen to ensure they service the greatest need and demand with the other two metropolitan technical colleges to be located at the Heights School in the north-east and at the site of Tonsley TAFE.

This is in addition to two regional technical colleges which will be in Port Augusta and Mt Gambier.

All five will be operational by 2026.

That’s why the Malinauskas Government has taken swift action on its election commitment of building five technical colleges.

The brand-new buildings will have the latest equipment and state-of-the-art technology and will be run in conjunction with the nearby high schools to make sure that their students complete their SACE as well as getting vocational qualifications.

They will, crucially, set up young people for the rest of their lives by making sure they are learning the modern skills needed for the future, and getting their high school certificate.

The investment is $208 million to build the five new colleges.


Quotes

Attributable to Premier Peter Malinauskas

These technical colleges are all about ensuring young people can choose to pursue the career they want, while also ensuring businesses are getting access to the skills they need.

Every young person has a right to expect they will complete school and will be ready to become self-sufficient adults, equipped with skills for further study and employment.

We can bring the practical outcomes of trade schools together with the new technologies that are now part of every workplace, and make sure that young people graduate from school, so they have the power to make choices for their future.

Attributable to Blair Boyer

South Australia has relatively high youth unemployment and we are experiencing a skills shortage. The only answer to this challenge is to invest in education and training and I am proud the Malinauskas Labor considers this a priority for our state.

Labor’s technical colleges are a big part of the answer for many students who are interested in pursuing opportunities in vocational work and I’m excited to see this
incredible investment come to fruition.

Attributable to Joe Szakacs

Findon High School is a wonderful site to begin the roll out of our technical colleges throughout the state.

The school is the perfect location as it has incredible leadership and links to local industry which will serve not only those enrolled in the technical college but also the wider community.

Attributable to Georgette Elston, Head of Resourcing and Early Careers, BAE Systems

Technical Colleges provide a great foundation for industry to engage with students, provide early hands on exposure to new industrial technologies, and support career connections.

Building a strong vocational pipeline into BAE Systems Australia is a key priority as we prepare to build the nation’s most complex warships and service other manufacturing and electronics projects from South Australia.