New Green Skills Centre for sustainable skills and jobs

Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT) recently launched its new $9.5 million Green Skills Centre at its Epping campus.

The centre was officially opened by the federal member for Scullin and Speaker of the House of Representatives - Harry Jenkins MP - at a launch attended by local council representatives, industry steering groups, union representatives and NMIT staff among others.

The new, federally funded facility will train and upskill people currently working in industry in the latest environmentally sustainable skills and technologies. It will also provide current NMIT students with more relevant skills as we move towards a green economy.

“The Green Skills Centre incorporates the latest in equipment and technology for training in sustainable practices across a wide variety of industries,” said Bruce Burns, NMIT Associate Director - Faculty of Engineering. “One of the facility’s greatest strengths is its flexibility - it currently has the capacity to cater for multiple industries but will also easily adapt to new green technologies and sustainable practices as they evolve.”

The new centre will provide learning and skills development in environmentally sustainable practices and technologies including carbon trading, solar power and water heating, wind power generation, geothermal exchange heating and cooling, black and grey water treatment, rainwater harvesting and waste management and recycling.

The 2800 m² centre embodies the skills and technology that will be taught within its walls including: energy-efficient building design; renewable energy sources; water harvesting and recycling; and green concrete (low cement content). Approximately 80% of all building waste generated by the project was recycled.

Training programs will officially commence at the centre at the beginning of 2011.