WESTERN Australia’s second Australian Technical College, ATC Pilbara, has reached maximum capacity in its first student intake, with 60 students having started school-based apprenticeships last month. The college, which has campuses in Karratha and Port Hedland, will accept a second intake later this year. ATC Pilbara chief executive Dr Nancy Rees said there had been strong industry support, with about 85 industry representatives attending forums for the college during the past fortnight. “To sustain the long-term success of the program, we now need to connect closely with the local Pilbara industry, which is why these forums and industry advisory groups are crucial. This will ensure the college provides relevant and practical industry related education and training for school-based apprentices,” Dr Rees said. Courses offered by the college include metals and engineering, metal fabrication, building and construction, electrotechnology and commercial cookery. The state’s other ATC, Perth South, which is based across two campuses in Armadale and Maddington, accepted its first intake of students in February 2007. Despite attracting some criticism over low enrolment figures, the college has maintained that it is on track to meet a full enrolment target of 330 students next year, once construction of its campus is complete.
