Port Augusta Technical College welcomes first students

Port Augusta Technical College opened its doors to students for the first time on Monday 4 August. As the second of five new technical colleges in South Australia, it provides hundreds of secondary school students across the region with the opportunity to engage in hands-on industry training, in collaboration with key industry partners.

Co-located at Port Augusta Secondary School, the technical college offers students in years 10 to 12 the chance to learn in state-of-the-art facilities. For students unable to travel daily, the college offers supervised, secure overnight accommodation, ensuring accessibility for all.

At the technical college, students can complete their SACE while starting careers in some of the region’s fastest-growing industries, including civil, resources and infrastructure, cookery and tourism, health and social support, and multi-trades.

Port Augusta Technical College is really good for regional students because we now have opportunities that we’ve never had before.

Rory
Multi-trades program student

The industry training programs have been designed to meet local industry demands, in collaboration with employer partners, including BHP, SA Power Networks, the Australian Hotels Association, Local Health Networks, Hallett Group, and Port Augusta Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Service.

Every element of Port Augusta Technical College has been designed to ensure hands-on, project-based learning that is valued by industry, with the latest technology and industry-standard equipment.

In the second semester of 2025, over 200 students from across the region will access part-time training at the college. The students – who come from across the Upper Spencer Gulf, Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Mid North, Far North and the APY Lands – will attend week-long blocks of training before returning to their regular schools to complete other SACE subjects.

In year 12, students can also start their apprenticeship or first year of a university degree while completing their SACE - giving them a real head start in their career.