Concept drawings and a digital fly-through of the new Findon Technical College were released today with planning community consultation now open.

$209 million is being invested to build 5 technical colleges across South Australia to provide employers with the skilled workforce they need and years 10-12 students with the opportunity to learn in world-class facilities.

Findon Technical College will be the first to open in 2024 and will offer learning programs for careers in early childhood and education, advanced manufacturing and engineering and health and social care.

The technical colleges will provide a bridge for students between education and the workforce, addressing critical skills shortages, and training young people in the technical skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace.

The designs of the technical colleges ensure they replicate the look, feel and flow of industry workplaces, and create an environment that provides practical, hands-on skills training that is valued by industry.

In addition to construction getting underway, Findon High School will also undergo a $10 million infrastructure upgrade to deliver refurbishments across a number of specialist areas including food technology, digital design and art. This will be completed by term 3 in 2023.

Each of the 5 technical colleges will have employer partners that will work with the colleges to ensure a pipeline of skilled workers to their industry and to provide entry level jobs or apprenticeships for school students completing the technical college programs.

BAE Systems Australia will a key employer partner for the first technical college at Findon, supporting the delivery of the advanced manufacturing and engineering learning program.

These jobs will be able to support crucial future industries such as defence, ship and submarine building and will provide career pathways to welders, fabricators, computer assisted designers, programmers, and robotic technicians; among other advanced manufacturing pathways.

The other 4 technical colleges will be located at the Heights School in the north-east and at the site of Tonsley TAFE in the southern suburb, along with 2 regional technical colleges in Port Augusta and Mt Gambier. All 5 technical colleges will be operational by 2026.