ATEC Unveils Major New Knowledge Hub as Skills Demand Surges Across South Australia

South Australia’s booming demand for skilled tradespeople is driving a major new investment in vocational education, with the Adelaide Training and Employment Centre (ATEC) officially announcing construction of a transformative new training facility at Ottoway.

The new ATEC Knowledge Hub, a modern, purpose-built training and industry collaboration space, will begin construction in June 2026 following the finalisation of work plans between ATEC  and Partek Construction & Interiors on 19 May.

The ambitious development is expected to be completed by late October 2026, weather permitting, and represents one of ATEC’s most significant infrastructure investments to date.

Predominantly funded by ATEC with important support from the South Australian Government, the project will enable a new state-of-the-art training facility. This will dramatically transform the ATEC Ottoway campus into a future-focused training environment designed to support South Australia’s next generation of skilled trade workers. The flexible, technology-enabled Knowledge Hub will feature:

• Contemporary classrooms seating facilitating larger class sizes.
• Configurable learning spaces adaptable for multiple training modes
• A large-scale event and industry function space for up to 100 standing guests
• Improved student amenities
• Modern digital learning capability
• Flexible spaces supporting blended and collaborative learning

The announcement follows the successful launch of ATEC’s Carpentry Centre of Excellence at Lonsdale in 2025 and signals continued expansion by the state’s largest not-for-profit training organisation in the engineering and construction sector as apprenticeship demand continues to grow.

ATEC CEO Greg Bassani OAM said the project reflects both confidence in South Australia’s future industries and the urgent need to strengthen training capacity.

“South Australia is experiencing unprecedented demand for skilled trade workers across construction, defence, engineering and manufacturing industries,” Mr Bassani said.

“This project is about ensuring our training environments match the calibre of training and workforce outcomes industry now requires.”

“The Knowledge Hub will become far more than classrooms, it will be a modern learning and collaboration space where apprentices, trainers and industry come together to build the workforce South Australia needs for the future.”

ATEC has supported more than 1,500 apprentices annually across priority industries over the past three years, with strong growth across engineering, electrotechnology, construction and fabrication trades.

The organisation says the new facility will directly improve learner engagement, retention and training outcomes by providing flexible, comfortable and technologically advanced learning environments.

Research from the Australian Council for Educational Research has identified strong links between high-quality learning environments and improved student engagement, attendance and educational achievement.

The development also aligns closely with South Australia’s strategic workforce priorities, particularly in defence industry expansion, advanced manufacturing and major infrastructure delivery.

The Knowledge Hub will additionally support:

• Trainer professional development
• Industry collaboration and events
• WHS and wellbeing programs
• Emerging technology integration
• Future-focused training delivery models

Mr Bassani said the investment demonstrates ATEC’s long-term commitment to reinvesting into South Australian vocational education and maintaining industry-leading standards.

“This has been more than a year in planning and represents a major milestone for both ATEC and industry,” he said.

“We are building not only a new training facility, but the future capability of South Australia’s workforce.”

Partek Construction & Interiors, a prominent multi-award winning South Australian builder, will commence works on-site in early June.