Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Childhood Learning) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, in writing, on 15 September 2011:

(1) How many (a) trade training centres in schools are currently operational, and (b) students are currently undertaking training at trade training centres in schools.

(2) Will the Minister provide a list of all trade training qualifications on offer in operational trade training centres in schools.

(3) Of the trade training centres in schools that have already been built, how many are just for an individual school.

(4) How many trade training centres are currently under construction.

(5) What has been the average cost per (a) trade training centre, and (b) trade training centre of those attached to only one school.

(6) How many trade training centres in schools have been approved, with construction yet to commence.

(7) What is the outstanding approved funding commitment for trade training centres in schools.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) (a) There are 109 Trade Training Centre projects that are operational.

(b) The Department is currently finalising data on the number of students undertaking training in trade training centres in schools. Once finalised, information will be published on the Departments website.

(2) A list of qualifications being delivered in Trade Training Centres that are operational is at Attachment A.

(3) There are 60 Trade Training Centres that are benefiting standalone (individual) schools.

(4) There are 93 Trade Training Centre projects under construction.

(5) (a) Based on the approved funding in Rounds One, Two and Three of the Trade Training Centres in Schools Program, the average cost of a Trade Training Centre is $3.58m.

(b) Based on the approved funding in Rounds One, Two and Three of the Trade Training Centres in Schools Program, the average cost of a standalone Trade Training Centre is $1.27m.

(6) There are 72 Trade Training Centre projects that are approved with construction yet to commence.

(7) $1.03b was approved and announced by the Minister for Rounds One, Two and Three of the Program. Negotiations with education authorities and schools have led to the execution of funding agreements flowing from those approvals. The total amount committed in funding agreements executed to date is $939.05m (with a further approximately $83.89m expected to be included in funding agreements to be executed shortly).

$710.78m in funding has been paid to date under executed funding agreements, with a further $312.17m in anticipated expenditure to meet remaining milestones in executed, and soon to be executed, funding agreements.

Data is current as at 16 September 2011.

Attachment A