Page 1608 - Week 05 - Thursday, 8 May 2008
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The funding of this new horticulture centre is part of an additional $14.3 million in funding for the CIT in the 2008-09 budget. With the demand for courses continuing to rise, the CIT needs to remain equipped to deliver the best possible education and training for students and to ensure that the training that is provided is relevant to the needs of the ACT economy.
As part of the extra $14 million investment into the CIT, the government is also funding feasibility studies into the further development of the city campus in line with the Reid master plan and for a new trades skills centre as part of the Fyshwick campus. The CIT will also benefit from $1 million in major equipment upgrades that will see modern and professional equipment provided to students so that they are training on equipment that is of the standard they would expect to use in the workplace.
In addition, there is $1.3 million for additional student support services at the vocational college and support for disabled students provided through this 2008-09 budget. There is also an investment of nearly $2.5 million over the next four years to enable the CIT to deliver an additional 35,000 hours of training. The budget increases funding to meet the demands for Australian apprenticeships through additional user-choice funding of $4.169 million over four years. In anyone’s language, that is an impressive package of investment in skills and training in this city.
We realise that, when it comes to education, one size does not fit all. With this in mind, we remain committed to providing a number of different pathways for students to gain training and skills and to provide access to these pathways earlier. That is why there is targeted support in the college sector for additional vocational education and training teachers and also teachers that will be able to assist in supporting students in the transition from high school to college and then from college on to further vocational education and training.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Could the minister advise the Assembly of other steps the ACT Labor government is taking to ensure the future strength of the ACT economy and our society through education and training?
MR BARR: I thank Ms Porter for the supplementary. I think our main avenue for addressing the skills crisis is through the ongoing strength and quality of education and training provided by the Canberra Institute of Technology. It has been delivering relevant and innovative training for 80 years within our community. With the support of this government, it will continue to do so into the future.
An example of the CIT’s innovation is their development, in consultation with industry, of accelerated apprenticeships. I recently had the pleasure of launching new accelerated apprenticeships in the skills shortage areas of panel beating and hairdressing. The CIT’s innovative fast-track apprenticeships will help ensure ACT business operators continue to have access to the skilled workers they need, by allowing students to complete their apprenticeships up to 30 per cent faster, without sacrificing educational quality. By shortening the length of the apprenticeships, the
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