The METRONET Trade Training Centre has officially opened — the first dedicated public facility of its kind in Western Australia.

The new training centre, at North Metropolitan TAFE's Midland campus, was built to support training for jobs in the rail industry while meeting the diverse needs of the METRONET program.

The facility includes rail signalling workshops, a dual-track level crossing, a maintenance track and crossover, and a signalling equipment room to enable hands-on training. A section of rail line is in place for training in maintenance of various gauges of rail.

Several groups of rail signalling technicians have started using the facilities and from April, secondary school students will also benefit from the new facilities when they commence the training.

Students will be supported with local training for a range of projects, creating job opportunities for local workers, pre-apprentices and apprentices while upskilling workers for building and maintaining WA's rail network as well as METRONET.