The Government announced the Industry Transformation Research Program today.  This new $249 million package is designed to help Australian industries become more competitive and create new job opportunities.

The Industry Transformation Research Program and cadetship package includes:

• More than 1,000 engineering cadetships over the next four years so students can get the work experience they need to kick-start their careers in manufacturing and other Australian industries.
   
• New research training centres that will provide quality industrial doctoral and postdoctoral training for up to 600 PhD students each year.
   
• New research hubs bringing researchers and industry representatives together to design and engineer commercially and technically viable solutions to some of our most pressing industrial problems.

Manufacturers will have the benefit of additional research expertise and knowledge to tackle difficult problems in key sectors such as metals, food, energy, textiles, building and automotive.

For more information on the Industrial Transformation Research Program, please visit www.arc.gov.au.