Local school leavers will soon be benefiting from a range of new services provided in the Knox Innovation, Opportunity and Sustainability Centre (KIOSC) after it’s official opening in Melbourne earlier this week.

The $10.3 millon KIOSC centre, housed at Swinburne University of Technology’s Wantirna Campus, will provide a range of Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Certificate courses.

Director of KIOSC, Kate Kent Evans, said the Discovery Centre, which is attended each semester by more than 5000 students from the Knox Consortium schools, has a strong focus on educating students about sustainable futures, learning and employability skills and technologies in the workplace.

"This is an exciting alternative to the normal classroom environment. Students have the opportunity to engage with real world scenarios and technologies that will give them a unique insight into their future opportunities," Ms Evans said.

Parliamentary Secretary for School Education, Jacinta Collins, attended the official opening of the centre, saying that the new centre will  help drive local education efforts.

“Four new multipurpose workshops, four theory rooms and four preparation rooms, along with an outdoor workshop and staff room will provide key infrastructure to train students in industries facing skills shortages,” Senator Collins said.

“This centre will deliver qualifications in printing, engineering, manufacturing and electro-technology to address skills shortages in laboratory work, and in the trades of printing and metal machinist, general electrician and metal fabricator.”

Further information about the KIOSC Trade Training Centre and all schools funded under the program is available atwww.tradetrainingcentres.deewr.gov.au