Addressing skills shortages in the timber and forestry industries will be a specialist focus of a new Skills Centre established by the State Government in Mount Gambier.

The centre is co-located with the Mount Gambier TAFE SA and University of South Australia campus and the site of the new technical college planned for opening in 2026.

The State Government provided the Green Triangle Forestry Industry Hub Association more than half a million dollars to establish it, along with project partners Registered Training Organisation, LITA, and Group Training Organisation, GTE.

The funding is part of $2.6 million announced earlier this year to establish five regional Skills Centres throughout South Australia, including in Cleve, Berri, Port Augusta, the Murray Bridge and Mount Gambier.

The regional Skills Centres will provide physical spaces to connect students, industry, training providers and employers in a collaborative and innovative way.

The Mount Gambier Skills Centre will identify and engage with employers, existing forestry workers and potential new workers to promote hands-on training opportunities using new forest harvesting simulators and virtual reality training resources to develop skills for the forestry industry.

It will also develop and deliver the newly accredited Certificates II and Certificate III in Timber and Wood Products Operations