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Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre for Geelong
THE Federal Government is basing its new $14 million Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in Geelong, Victoria – and setting up a new TradeStart Office to accelerate utilisation of the new free trade agreements with Japan, South Korea and China.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the move would support the Greater Geelong region’s transition from traditional manufacturing to a centre of innovation. 
He said the centre would be integrated with a network of innovation centres across the country and would develop a “sector competitiveness plan to link local businesses with global companies”.
“The plan will identify jobs and skills needs, provide a pipeline of innovations ready to commercialise, and consider areas for reforming regulation, manufacturing transformation and growth,” Mr Abbott said.
As part of the announcement – made in conjunction with Federal Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, and Federal Member of Corangamite, Sarah Henderson – Newcomb Secondary College is also to introduce an industry partnership to better prepare students to enter the workforce. The Federal Government has committed $500,000 towards establishing the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) model at the college in 2016.
“The P-TECH school programme will focus on the jobs of the future in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, partnering with local industry, and providing vocational pathways,” Mr Birmingham said.
To complement these announcements, a further $1.3 million has been allocated to extend the role of the Geelong Employment Facilitator.
The Government will also establish a new Job Connections Office and Geelong Region Future Jobs Taskforce.
“The Geelong Employment Facilitator will continue to assist people affected by Geelong’s economic transition and work to identify and deliver new job opportunities across the Geelong region,” Mr Birmingham said.
A new local Geelong Region Future Jobs Taskforce will also be established to identify and promote job creation opportunities. It will be supported by the Employment Facilitator in a new Job Connections Office housed in the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.
“The Employment Facilitator and Geelong Region Future Jobs Taskforce will work closely with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre to identify jobs and the skills needs for the region,” Mr Macfarlane said.
Mr Abbott said to build on the free trade agreements with China, Korea and Japan, access to Austrade’s export advisory service would be provided through a TradeStart Office in Geelong.
“This will give local businesses in the Geelong region access to Austrade’s export advisory services across all sectors, enabling them to access these key export markets for future jobs and growth,” Mr Abbott said.
“These new measures build on the $15 million investment in the Geelong Region Innovation and Investment Fund.
“Geelong is a great city with a great future. The Commonwealth Government is helping Geelong forge a stronger future.”
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