Institute’s training facility on track

The past three months have resulted in a dramatic change in the landscape on the corner of Ennis Avenue and Dixon Road.

While earthworks started on the site last July, in the past three months concrete tilt panels and steel beams have been erected as fast as toy lego.

With construction of Challenger Institute’s $28 million training facility tracking on time, there is optimism the Building Technology Centre will be finished ahead of its schedule completion at the start of next year.

Challenger Institute chief executive Liz Harris said the centre, funded in partnership by the Federal and State governments, would help meet the State’s demand for skilled workers.

Ms Harris said it would also enhance the building and construction training already provided by the institute.

Brand MHR Gary Gray, who toured the site last week with site project manager Anthony Serratore, said the centre would help ensure local children had the opportunity to learn skills and set themselves up to obtain a good job.

“Historically, the Kwinana and Rockingham areas have had higher levels of unemployment, especially among young people, than other parts of WA,” he said. “That is why I fight so hard to get more training opportunities established in our area.”

The new building will house the major trades of timber, mortar and utilities and train students in carpentry, joinery, machining, plastering, bricklaying, tiling, plumbing and gas fitting.

Features of the centre include high-tech workshops, specialised learning rooms for electrical trades, classrooms and computer-based training rooms.

Environmentally-friendly aspects of the centre will be rainwater tanks, climate control and photovoltaic cells for power generation.

Mr Gray said the centre would help the country’s economy grow by ensuring there were enough skilled workers for the future.

“The fact is the WA economy is the powerhouse of the Australian economy.

“To keep it growing we need to train more and more apprentices.

“This facility will provide pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training to more than 700 students each year, starting first semester next year.”

When completed, the Building Technology Centre will also result in Challenger Institute’s training workspace capacity increasing by 28 per cent for building trades and 16 per cent for electrical trades.