A national network of technical colleges will be rolled out if a Liberal Federal Government is elected on May 3.
Liberal leader Peter Dutton said the proposed Australian Technical Colleges were specialist skills schools for years 10-12 or 11-12.
Mr Dutton said students would be enrolled in a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship as well as academic and business courses that led to a Year 12 certificate.
“We will invest $260 million to deliver 12 Australian Technical Colleges across our first term as the first step in transforming our education system,” he said.
Mr Dutton said the colleges would complement a commitment to return the apprentice and trainee pipeline to over 400,000, through a $12,000 small and medium business apprentice and trainee wage support program and $5000 to $10,000 apprentice wage supplements.
“Australian Technical Colleges will be rolled out across the country but initial commitments will be made in regions with skill shortages, high rates of youth unemployment or those with strategically significant industries.
“We want young people to get the opportunity to get a head start on in-demand skills. These schools will give parents greater choice on the education which best suits their children, as well as help Australia secure the workforce we need.”
Mr Dutton said in other countries, like France and Germany, up to 50 percent of students took up critical skills pathways in schools, but just one percent of Australian secondary school students took up a school-based apprenticeship.
