Question Time

TAFE SA

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. Can the minister inform the council how TAFE SA is contributing to the Shaping the Future of South Australia vision to unlock the full potential of South Australia's resources, energy and renewable assets?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:33): I thank the member for his very important question and for his interest in the Premier's recent announcement about his Shaping the Future of South Australia vision and the 10 economic priority areas. As my colleague states, the first priority is to unlock the full potential of South Australia's resources, energy and renewable assets. To do this, our state will require a highly skilled workforce, trained to meet the changing needs of the industries and enterprises undertaking this particular challenge.

Recently, I had the pleasure of opening the Mining, Engineering and Transport (MET) Centre at Regency TAFE. It is projected that approximately 25,000 new workers will be required by the transport, mining, engineering and allied industries over the next five years. That is why the MET Centre is so important to South Australia's future. In March 2008 this government announced, as part of its skills strategy, a commitment to develop an invigorated and dynamic training system for our state. This strategy identified a need to reconfigure the publicly-owned training facilities to meet future teaching and learning requirements, including specialist industry centres.

Arising from that strategy, the state government, with funding assistance from the commonwealth, has made the single biggest investment ever in the TAFE SA infrastructure, committing to $240 million to upgrades and also the building of new facilities. The $38.3 million MET Centre project, which commenced in May 2012, is part of that investment. The MET Centre consolidates and integrates programs previously delivered across several TAFE SA campuses into one centre for training of excellence for the mining, engineering, advanced manufacturing, defence and transport industries.

Around 700 TAFE SA students are already currently using the new centre, which offers many exciting life-changing career options and possibilities. After officially opening the final stage of the centre, I toured the facility and spoke with a number of students and also lecturers who are currently studying and working there. Some of the students I spoke to were studying subjects such as advanced manufacturing, which includes digital technology, such as computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing, which they demonstrated for me. It is fascinating technology, with enormous potential, and the technologies are involved in rapidly evolving fields full of wonderful and challenging potential.

For those currently employed who may wish to upgrade their skills, the centre will also become a place to return to. Overall the centre is expected to cater for approximately 3,000 students full-time and part-time per annum. It is important to note that the skills taught there are closely linked to key areas of emerging industry need and real jobs out there on the ground. It is encouraging to see that many students at the centre are already attending and studying there, and these people will shape our future.

I conclude by again congratulating all those people who have contributed to the MET Centre project over the last several years. Those projects do not just happen by chance. It was a large project and required an enormous amount of hard work, commitment and dedication. I congratulate all involved and obviously wish those students using the facility now and into the future every success with their endeavours.