Statement: New rail training centre for apprentices and trainees

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Media Release
JOINT STATEMENT

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Training and Skills
The Honourable Yvette D'Ath

Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

New rail training centre for apprentices and trainees

In a Queensland-first apprentices, trainees and students studying a trade now have access to rail-based training under a new partnership between Queensland Rail and TAFE Queensland Skills Tech.

Minister for Transport Stirling Hinchliffe and Minister for Training and Skills Yvette D'Ath today officially unveiled Queensland Rail's new off-site training facility, the Rail Centre of Excellence, based within SkillTech's flagship Acacia Ridge campus.

"This new facility is the only simulated rail work environment in Queensland and will provide TAFE students with hands-on access to rail training," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"The Queensland Government is committed to increasing job opportunities for Queenslanders and this new facility will open up further career possibilities for people interested in entering the rail industry, learning rail-specific skills or studying a trade at SkillsTech.

"Queensland Rail will use the centre as part of its ongoing in-house training programs which educate around 300 employees each year in track infrastructure, railway signalling and overhead traction maintenance.

"When not in use by Queensland Rail, the centre will enable SkillsTech to introduce a number of new, rail-specific fields to their curriculum including rail transmission and distribution, transport and logistics.

"The rail industry has been one of Queensland's largest employers for more than 150 years, and Queensland Rail continues to be a strong supporter of apprentices and trainees. Just last year, Queensland Rail employed 24 new apprentices and trainees right across the state in trades such as electrical, mechanical, carriage building, painting, blacksmithing, carpentry, administration and warehousing."

Minister for Training and Skills Yvette D'Ath said the new Rail Centre of Excellence would enable more local students to pursue a career in the rail industry.

"This partnership will provide students at SkillsTech with a unique opportunity to access some of the skills required to work in the rail industry," Ms D'Ath said.

"This centre will not only ensure Queensland Rail's in-house training programs continue to improve in line with education standards, but it will also provide SkillsTech students with greater access to some of the skills required to work in the rail industry.

"Through the new Rail Centre of Excellence, SkillsTech's trainers and assessors would be able to work closely with Queensland Rail content experts to share knowledge, expertise and technical skills.

"The new Centre will provide great benefits for SkillsTech staff and students.

"Not only will the Centre allow for rail-specific fields of expertise to be introduced, but it will also support existing trade training requirements in areas such as electrotechnology, engineering, metalwork and fabrication.

"I would like to congratulate TAFE Queensland on this partnership. It is collaborations such as this that make TAFE Queensland the premier training provider in this state."

State Member for Sunnybank Peter Russo welcomed the relocation of the rail training facility to Sunnybank.

"This new facility will benefit locals who are keen to build their skills or work in the rail industry," Mr Russo said.

"The facility will help to train the next generation of rail workers and will deliver tremendous benefits to local SkillsTech staff and students."

The state-funded Rail Centre of Excellence features new classrooms and office space for theory based learning, in addition to track, signalling and overhead infrastructure to simulate a rail work environment.

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QR Centre of Exellence@ SkillsTech Acacia Ridge TAFE with @YvetteDAth @StirlHinchliffe. Impressive facility. pic.twitter.com/qGDc8IY0sg

— Peter Russo (@PeterRussoMP) April 11, 2016