Those pushing for the trade training centre, including 12 Sunraysia high schools, said they were surprised to miss out after being confident in their submission for the Trade Training Centres in Schools Program.

The Commonwealth program will provide $2.5 billion funding over 10 years to secondary schools across Australia, but the Mildura area application has been denied with no current explanation.

The Mildura Region Trade Training Centre Consortium formed in 2008 to build a proposal which was submitted in June, aiming to increase student numbers achieving year 12 or equivalent and addressing the national skills shortages in traditional trades and emerging industries.

For more of this story, purchase your copy of Saturday’s Sunraysia Daily 07/11/2009.