SENATOR THE HON DOUG CAMERON
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SKILLS, TAFE AND APPRENTICESHIPS
SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES

GED KEARNEY MP
CANDIDATE FOR COOPER

A Shorten Labor government will build a $1 million Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Digital Engineering Centre at Melbourne Polytechnic’s Preston campus so students are job ready for Victoria’s major infrastructure projects.

This election will be a choice between Shorten Labor Government that will invest in local jobs or more of the Liberals’ cuts and chaos.

The centre in Preston will also be used to train students as the construction industry moves away from low-skilled, physical labour towards automation, digital craft, and smart assemblies.

Digital technologies are increasingly being used in prefabrication, smart assemblies, virtual prototyping, geospatial data-capture and construction-automation.

Students studying Certificate IV in Building Design Drafting, the Bachelor of the Built Environment, and the Certificate IV in Interior Design and Advanced Diploma will be among those to benefit from the new centre.

Under a Shorten Labor government, Australia will be a leader in adopting new construction technologies and we will train the highly skilled construction professionals required to work in this field.

Ged Kearney welcomed Labor’s commitment to the Centre. “I know how important it is for young adults in Cooper to get skills for the future so they can go on to earn decent wages in secure jobs” she said.

This election is a choice between Labor’s plan for better investment in skills, TAFE and apprenticeships, or bigger tax loopholes for the top end of town under the Liberals.

If elected, a Shorten Labor Government would provide more than $1 billion in additional investment in TAFE, including:

• $50 million for 10,000 Pre-apprenticeship programs.
• $83 million to support 20,000 adult apprentices.
• $200 million Building TAFE for the Future Fund.
• $380 million for 100,000 TAFE places with no upfront fees.
• $334 million for 150,000 additional Apprentice Incentives.

Labor will also ensure 1 in every 10 jobs on major Commonwealth and defence projects are filled by an Australian apprentice. We will also conduct a once in a generation inquiry into the post-secondary education system to identify and fix the problems created by the Liberals.
 
A Shorten Labor Government will also introduce an apprentice advocate who will work across all jurisdictions ensuring, safety, quality training and the well-being of apprentices across the country.