Technology and learning complex to develop highly skilled workforce for boom industries
Perth -- Australia, 16 March 2011: GE (NSYE:GE) today announced its plans to open an $80 million custom built
state-of-the-art technology and learning complex on a 100,000 square metre site at Jandakot Airport in
Perth. The complex will provide the necessary skills and training to support growth in the oil and gas, energy,
mining, transportation and water industries.
The announcement was made at an event in Perth today by GE's global Chairman and CEO, Jeff Immelt and Senator the Hon Christopher Evans, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations.
The Federal Government predicted in 2009 that at least 70,000 skilled jobs would be needed in Western Australia to meet the demands of high growth industries.* With a number of large scale resource projects, such as Gorgon, currently underway, the GE complex will be a Community of Technical Best Practice for industry, offering 4,800 accredited training days to non-GE employees, with a further 2,000 training days for GE employees. The complex is the first to offer the full range of technical training required to meet the demands of the resources sector in Australia. It is also the first GE training facility globally to be accredited against the national qualification framework.
Steve Sargent, President and CEO for GE Australia and New Zealand said: "Developing the right skills is essential to fuelling Australia's economic growth and ensuring that the maximum value is created from projects like Gorgon both locally and nationally.
"GE has been built on nurturing talent, investment in people and provision of top quality training. Working with the Australian Government to invest in a highly skilled labour force is going to create tremendous value for both the industries that are thriving here, and the local economy. It is about business aligning with Government plans to invest in the critical skills needed to support growth."
The GE complex has been designed as a multi-purpose facility and headquarters for GE operations in Perth. The complex includes workshops to service and commission products and technology in WA along with the Learning and Development facility, designed to deliver top class engineering and leadership training. Training will not be restricted to technical skills with courses run by GE and partner organisations accredited to Australian standards. The complex at Jandakot Airport will act as an Australian hub for all of GE's regional training including some aspects of leadership development, currently being taught at GE's world renowned Crotonville University in New York, aiming to hone great Australian leadership talent.
A Drilling and Production workshop as well as a Global Services workshop will ensure that servicing, commissioning and support for drilling and mining equipment resides locally in WA-- creating additional jobs and fostering world class Australian expertise in a high growth industry. Construction of the first stage of the complex is well advanced, and expected to be completed in September 2011.
http://www.ge.com/au/jandakot_update.html
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