South Australia’s technical college network is set to grow again, with a re-elected Malinauskas Labor Government committing $150 million to build three additional purpose-built facilities aimed at fast-tracking students into skilled careers.
The pledge builds on five technical colleges already delivered across the state, with new campuses at Findon, Modbury Heights, Tonsley, Port Augusta and Mount Gambier now offering students a very different way to complete school. Three of those colleges are opening their doors to students today, marking another milestone for a model the Government says is already proving its worth.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the expansion recognises that university is not the right or necessary pathway for every student, particularly as South Australia’s economy continues to gather pace. “Not every student needs to go to university, nor should they,” he said. “Our state has enormous economic momentum, which we intend to capitalise on. But to do it, we are going to need skilled workers.”
Under the election commitment, two new technical colleges would be built in metropolitan Adelaide and one in regional South Australia, extending opportunities to more students while building on the success already seen in places like Port Augusta and Mount Gambier. Premier Malinauskas said the model has shown young people can leave school with real, tangible outcomes. “Young people can walk out of these colleges with a SACE certificate in one hand, a trade qualification in the other, straight into a high-quality job with a major employer,” he said.
At the newly opened Tonsley Technical College, that approach is already taking shape. Students are beginning specialised programs in advanced manufacturing and engineering, defence industries, automotive and energy training, as well as pathways suited to careers in building, construction and plumbing. The college operates alongside the Australian Science and Mathematics School and in partnership with Flinders University, allowing some students to complete the first year of an engineering degree while still in Year 12.
Education Minister Blair Boyer said the colleges have been deliberately designed to feel more like workplaces than traditional classrooms. “Having visited all of the technical colleges, I know they are unlike any other educational site we have in the public system, with the design and technology harnessed to support students’ learning and work-readiness,” he said.
Industry is deeply embedded in the Tonsley model, with partners including ASC, REDARC, the Climate Impact Corporation, the Master Builders Association and the Motor Trades Association helping shape training that aligns directly with workforce demand. One hundred and twenty-seven students are starting their learning journey at the site today.
The Tonsley build has also set a new sustainability benchmark, featuring a mass timber structure, recycled concrete and renewable-powered site facilities, alongside construction practices that diverted 90 per cent of waste from landfill and donated surplus materials to local men’s sheds.
Mr Boyer said the investment reflects a deliberate shift in how public education prepares young people for life beyond school. “I’m so proud of these technical colleges and the work of the Malinauskas Labor Government to invest in something different and bold in the education sector,” he said, adding that a second term would allow the model to reach even more students across the state.
