SENATOR THE HON CHRIS EVANS
Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations
Leader of the Government in the Senate
THE HON MARTIN FERGUSON AM MP
Minister for Resources and Energy
Biloela’s new purpose-built training facility for the resources and energy sectors, the “Banana Engineering Skills Training Centre” in Queensland is now open for business.
The Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, attended the opening today on behalf of the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Jobs, Senator Chris Evans.
Minister Ferguson said that the construction of this state-of-the-art facility by Gladstone Area Group Apprentices Ltd, supported by $2.5 million in Australian Government funding, will make a significant contribution to meeting industry’s growing need for skilled workers.
“With the rapidly expanding resources sector driving demand for high-skill, high-wage jobs in regional areas, being able to not only work but also train locally will make a big difference to the lives of young people in Biloela and the surrounding area,” Minister Ferguson said.
“The Banana Engineering Skills Training Centre greatly enhances opportunities for local training targeted at the specific needs of the resources and energy industries located in the Biloela region.”
Senator Evans said the new centre is an important part of the Government’s broader skills and training agenda.
“In the context of an increasingly internationally competitive resources industry our focus must be on improving productivity and skilling and training more Australians is an absolute priority,” Senator Evans said.
“That’s why the Government has also increased its support for infrastructure in the vocational education and training sector through initiatives such as the $3 billion Building Australia’s Future Workforce package announced in this year’s Budget.”
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