A new trades centre in South Waikato aims to train up local youth to fill almost 1000 jobs in the region over the next five years.
The Government on Thursday announced it would fund $10.84 million of the total $14 million costs of building the centre.
The remaining funding will come from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Trust Waikato and the South Waikato Investment Fund Trust (SWIFT).
The centre will be built in the town of Tokoroa and is set to be completed by 2022.
It will cater to key local sectors including farming, engineering, construction, manufacturing and logistics.
Construction of the centre comes after a survey of South Waikato companies found around 850 new staff would be required in the region over the next five years, said Francis Pauwels, SWIFT economic development manager.
"These companies - in construction, engineering, transport, manufacturing, forestry and hospitality - say their number one preference is to employ locals because they stay local and contribute to the community," Pauwels said.
"About 60 percent of the people who could be employed in these jobs will be new trainees and especially young people. About a fifth of people aged 18-25 years in South Waikato are not in employment, education or training – and we are confident this initiative will be the catalyst to get these young people into training and employment. We also expect to have a lot of second-chance learners coming through the centre."
Concept plans developed for the centre also include a digital entrepreneurial hub, a cafe and childcare facilities to allow parents to train at the facility.
SWIFT chairman Bruce Sherman said construction of the centre would potentially involve over 200 people during the design and build process and locals firms would be used as much as possible.
