$10m Wheatbelt training expansion opens

A specialist training facility has opened at Muresk Institute, a major part of the $10.3 million upgrade for the Northam agricultural centre.

The state government officially opened the Agriculture Machinery Training Centre, which was mostly built by ACorp Construction for $9.5 million.

The agricultural training facility includes new workshops, classrooms and information technology laboratories.

According to the state government, the first people to train in the new training facility will be Central Regional TAFE apprentices completing a Certificate III in Agricultural Mechanical Technology.

A $800,000 shearing shed at Muresk Institute was also recently completed by regional company GBSC Yurra.

Premier Roger Cook said the new facilities would help produce skilled workers for the state’s agricultural industry and help WA stay competitive internationally.

Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis said the opening marked a new era of agricultural education in WA.

“Primary industries are increasingly adopting innovative technology and the modernised training facility at the Muresk Institute in Northam will help foster our farmers of the future,” she said.

Training Minister Simone McGurk said the facilities had been designed after extensive industry consultation.

“For almost a century, Muresk Institute has been synonymous with agricultural training in Western Australia,” she said.

“These state-of-the-art facilities and equipment are the culmination of a strong partnership between the agricultural machinery industry, Central Regional TAFE and Muresk Institute to lift the quality of training for agriculture machinery apprentices in WA.”

Muresk Institute was established in the state's Wheatbelt region in 1926 and was previously known as Muresk Agricultural College.