The future of vocational training on the North West Coast is again under threat with the possible closure of the highly successful Northern Tasmania Australian Technical College (ATC) in Burnie and Launceston.
Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck said Braddon MP Sid Sidebottom must act to ensure staff and students at the ATC are not left in the lurch.
“The ATC has been a highly successful approach to vocational training, particularly in developing skilled trades workers for the region,” Senator Colbeck said.
“This is in great contrast to the botched Tasmania Tomorrow system the State Labor Government has attempted to implement and which has been rejected by teachers.
“It is common knowledge Mr Sidebottom did nothing when the Rudd Government abandoned the Australian Technical Colleges on the mere basis of being philosophically opposed to them.
“Now is the time for Mr Sidebottom to recognise their success and step up to ensure his Government commits long-term to the ATC.
Senator Colbeck said the Tasmanian ATC was recently named 2009 Registered Training Organisation of the Year and it would be simply ridiculous for Rudd Labor to allow this first-rate training organisation to fold.
“National and State statistics have proven that ATCs have a higher retention rate for apprenticeship than other training models, and this significantly reduces the cost to the community in terms of non-completions.
“The retention statistics for Tasmania have been the highest in the nation.
“The Rudd Government is unjustifiably hostile towards the ATCs – probably because these centres are a Howard Government initiative widely recognised as an overwhelming success and a training model which meets the needs of apprentices and business alike.
“Labor and Sid Sidebottom need to put their egos aside for once and do what is right for students and industry,” Senator Colbeck said.
Senator Richard Colbeck – Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
