Sustainability Skills Centre gets "Green" light

SKILLSET was a big winner in the 2009-10 federal budget with $5 million going to the company to build a world-class carbon efficiency skills centre in Bathurst NSW.
The aim of the new centre will be to assist small and medium businesses to adapt as Australia’s economy moves to a low carbon environment.

Skillset is the training arm of Central West Group Apprentices, the centre will have two key purposes: in the initial stages it will train new electrical apprentices by offering sustainable energy electives, and will also retrain existing workers in the new technologies.

Another goal of the training centre will be to assist small and medium businesses to adjust their business plans as they move towards a low carbon economy.

Skillset CEO Ben Bardon yesterday said the training facility would become a centre of excellence as industry looks to lower its carbon footprint and access energy efficient training.

It will feature cutting edge teaching and learning equipment for research.

“The centre will be looking for the best ways forward in training for a sustainable future,” he said.

“It will become a driving force in attracting more green investment and create green jobs in the region.”

Skillset training manager Jenny Sinclair said in designing the new facility, Skillset will use the Green Building Council of Australia Green Star Education V1 rating tool to construct a five-star green-rated educational facility that is solar passive, uses water retriculation, orientation and insulation.

Three sites are being considered for the new facility, however, a decision has not yet been reached regarding the preferred option.

Ms Sinclair said work should start in the next three to six months, using local contractors.

“If you offer a state-of-the-art facility, people will want to come,” Ms Sinclair said.

“It will definitely bring people into the region.

“We will be offering training right on their doorstep so they don’t have to travel. That keeps young people and businesses here, contributing to the regional economy.”

Ms Sinclair said of the 12 vocational training organisations funded in the budget, two are in the Central West. Another training centre will be built at Dubbo.

“We are absolutely thrilled. It is a huge project,” Ms Sinclair said.

“This is the way businesses are going to move and we wanted to be in there on the ground floor.

“We anticipate doubling our training effort to 600-700 people per year.”