An Andrews Labor Government will work with the plumbing industry to provide retraining for manufacturing workers who have been hard hit by industry job losses.
Shadow Minister for Higher Education and Skills, Steve Herbert, today announced that Labor will support the plumbing industry’s development of two new Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centres (PICACs) in Geelong and in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.
Labor will get the Victorian Building Authority to undertake a feasibility and implementation study for this project. The first PICAC, located in Brunswick, provides high quality training for plumbers, using the latest technology in water and energy efficiency.
A Labor Government would work with the Victorian Building Authority and the plumbing industry to ensure that the new PICACs are used to support retrenched automobile manufacturing and supply chain workers. The new PICAC facilities would re-train manufacturing workers in sustainable green technologies.
An Andrews Labor Government will also implement a $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund, reintroduce Tech Schools, launch a VET training review, crack down on training rorts and halve the cost of car rego for thousands of apprentice tradies.
Quotes attributable to Mr Herbert
“While the Liberals cut TAFE and apprentice support, only Labor will work with the plumbing industry to help manufacturing workers who desperately need retraining.”
“At a time of manufacturing job losses, Labor will stand side-by-side with the plumbing industry to support manufacturing workers.”
Key Facts
- PICAC is a five star Green Star rated building used for plumbing training, based in Brunswick.
- PICAC wants to construct two new satellite PICAC centres, in Geelong and in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.
- All membership organisations in the plumbing industry are partners in PICAC.
