Labor promises new Warrnambool tech school

The new tech school would be built on South West TAFE's city campus and support 5000 students from schools across the south-west.

It would be one of six new facilities across Victoria, with the government promising $106 million for the project, with a further $10m for equipment at the state's 10 existing tech schools as well as the six new schools.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the six schools would support around 62,000 students, training them to fill the 59,000 new jobs the government said would be created under the re-launched State Electricity Commission.

The Warrnambool school would offer "specialist" one or two-day programs to year 7 to 10 students from all secondary schools in the region, targeting "under-represented groups such as girls, regional, rural and Aboriginal students".

Labor candidate for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora said while there was a focus on trade skills for renewable industries, care skills like nursing would also play a key role.

"It will cater to industry needs, general TAFE skills, and areas of high skill demand like renewable industry trades," she said.

"It will also funnel some students through to the $5m green Building Innovation and Design Centre we will be building out at Deakin.

"This announcement is designed for implementation, it's practical it's not just a promise."

South West Coast Labor candidate Kylie Gaston said the plan was "about the big picture".

"This is about skilling up kids for the future, servicing things like the SEC, but really investing in the brains behind the industries of the future and positioning Victoria as the national leader in renewables," she said.

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