A Grand Opening

Canberra's latest Trade Training Centre is now open for business, and CIT staff were on hand to represent the key partnership that helps make the venture possible.

The Canberra Region Trade Training Centre at St Mary MacKillop College, Tuggeranong, has been built as part of the Australian Government's $2.5 billion Trade Training Centres in Schools program, and will provide students with access to quality occupational training facilities in hospitality and construction industries.

Facilities for the Canberra Region Trade Training Centre are also under development at St Francis Xavier College, Florey, St Clare's College, Griffith and Merici College, Braddon.

The four Catholic colleges jointly received $5.7 million in Australian Government funding as part of round two of the Trade Training Centre program.

A key partner in the Canberra Region Trade Training Centre is the Canberra Institute of Technology. The partnership aims to significantly improve the learning opportunities, career prospects and training pathways for students through guaranteed pathways to Certificate III qualifications in industries of high demand.

At the opening, South Tuggeranong parish priest Fr John Armstrong spoke on behalf of Archbishop Mark Coleridge, while other special guests included Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth Peter Garrett, and Federal Minister for Canberra Gai Brodtmann.

In her address Ms Gillard said the state-of-the-art centre would allow students to begin their career journey in their own school.

"You can learn skills so that when you go out to workplaces you can use them immediately, because the space and equipment you are using is a lot like where you will work," she said.

"I'm incredibly proud of the way we've gone through this incredible journey of change."

Photo: Prime Minister Julia Gillard greets staff and students at St Mary MacKillop College at the official opening.

Note: This story and photo are used with the permission of the Catholic Voice