Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently I was delighted to visit Ipswich State High School for the opening of the Ipswich Region Trade Training Centre. I have visited the school on numerous occasions during the trade training centre's construction. It is an exciting development for students, teachers and industry in the Blair electorate. This $5 million trade training centre will provide world-class training facilities for students from five high schools in Blair: Rosewood State High School, Lowood State High School, Bremer State High School, Bundamba State Secondary College and Ipswich State High School. Up to 5,000 students in the Ipswich and Somerset regions will access these facilities each year. Students will be offered courses in mechanical, fabrication, general construction, carpentry, shop fitting and CAD. The centre at Ipswich State High School is part of the former federal Labor government's $2.5 billion investment in industry-standard trade training and infrastructure. I congratulate the organisations who partnered with Ipswich State High School, such as HIA and Apprenticeships Queensland. This investment will help students stay in school and get qualifications as well as addressing skills shortages in traditional trades and other occupations in the Ipswich and West Moreton region. Sadly, the coalition has axed the funding for these trade training centres. This is a $950 million investment which we believe is important to help students get the qualifications and certificates they need. Tragically the Abbott government has seen fit— (Time expired)