If elected, a Shorten Labor Government will invest $1 million for much-needed upgrades to the Goulburn TAFE to bring facilities and equipment up to standard.
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Labor candidate for Hume Aoife Champion said the funding would be used for upgrades to collaborative teaching and learning spaces and new digital facilities at the TAFE, as well as new teaching and learning resources.
The money is coming out of Labor's promised $200 million fund to rebuild and upgrade TAFE campuses across the country.
Ms Champion said a better TAFE system was an essential investment in training for the local community.
"This election is a choice between Labor's plan for better hospitals and schools, like this $1 million investment into Goulburn TAFE, or the Liberals' cuts to schools and hospitals and bigger handouts to the top end of town," Ms Champion said.
"These funds will make a huge difference in the learning facilities and resources for local students."
She said it means people could stay in Goulburn to get the skills they need for local jobs.
"Ensuring the local TAFE campus is up to scratch is key to giving locals the training they need to meet industry standards and participate in their community," she said.
"Labor is listening, and we will deliver this funding so students get the best out of their TAFE education with proper resources and equipment."
Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones was in Goulburn for the announcement.
He said supporting TAFE was "in Labor's DNA."
"Labor is committed to improving our TAFE campuses which provide students with the skills they need for 21st century jobs," Mr Jones said.
"Labor will enable an additional 100,000 students to go to TAFE without upfront fees."
Mr Jones said Labor would also:
- Support 10,000 young Australians to do a pre-apprentice program to prepare them for work.
- Provide support for 20,000 older workers to retrain through an Advanced Adult Apprenticeship.
- Guarantee at least two out of three dollars of public funding goes to public TAFE.
- Require at least one in 10 jobs on all major infrastructure and defence projects to be filled by an apprentice.
- Establish an Apprentice Advocate, to improve the quality of Australia's apprentice system and develop a long-term plan for skills and training.
"This stands in stark contrast to the Liberals, who have cut more than $3 billion from TAFE, skills and apprentices. Australia now has 150,000 fewer apprentices and trainees than when Labor left government in 2013," Mr Jones said.
"They have been asleep at the wheel with TAFE enrolments dropping by 25 per cent.
"At this election the choice is clear - investment in quality local services and education like TAFE or the cruel cuts and chaos of Scott Morrison's Coalition."
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David Cole
Journalist at the Goulburn Post
Journalist at the Goulburn Post
