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Trade schools now open for business

THE first school students are taking up high-level apprenticeships in engineering, construction and plumbing as South Australia's new AU$29.5m Trade Schools for the Future open for business.
An initial 140 students have registered for trade school apprenticeships through the State's 10 trade schools, which are all up and running this year - two years ahead of the 2010 target date.
The first Trade School for the Future enrolments come as:

A major briefing of business leaders is being planned to encourage local industries to consider the long-term benefits of taking on a school student apprentice.
20 school to Work apprenticeship brokers are appointed to match students with local opportunities for apprenticeships in areas of key industry skills demand.
Each of the 10 Trade Schools for the Future will stage regional promotional activities to get students, families, businesses and communities involved in building practical work skills among young people through the trade school concept.
AU$8.3 million in capital works and information technology projects to support the trade schools are now underway.

The state's Education Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says it's the start of an exciting new era to give school students a major head start in local careers, particularly in areas of skills demand.
"Our trade schools enable students to study for their SACE while gaining a head start towards high-level qualifications that will take them into rewarding careers," Dr Lomax-Smith says.
"There is an increasing workforce demand for higher skilled people across a range of industry areas and our trade schools support this drive for better skills.
"We have businesses and industries in need of qualified workers - including billions of dollars of projects in the pipeline - and it makes sense to match local school students to those opportunities.
"The job opportunities emerging in South Australia, such as mining, defence and construction, often require people with formal, higher-level qualifications.
"Trade school qualifications - which can range up to Certificate III level study - will give students an edge by allowing them to leave school with a head start into their chosen career.
"Students work towards their qualifications through local schools, training providers and workplaces.
"We wanted to get our trade schools up and running as quickly as possible to help meet the jobs boom in South Australia and the need in many industries for skilled workers.
"Now the schools are open for business, the School to Work apprenticeship brokers are talking to local employers about opportunities for students.
"Over time, we hope to have more than 1000 students in high-end trade school apprenticeships."
The state government announced its trade school initiative in 2006 and the first three schools opened in July 2007, with the remaining seven coming online from the start of 2008, ahead of schedule.
The trade schools operate across regions, with at least one Work Skills Centre in each region acting as the lead school for their local Trade School for the Future. Trade Schools for the Future will be forging links with local TAFE and other training providers to deliver training for school students.
The initiative is part of an overall AU$84m School to Work package that includes a new SACE and a requirement for young people to be learning or earning until they turn 17 from 2009.