Gippsland TAFE has announced plans to construct an AU$19.2 million gas training centre in Chadstone, Victoria.

The Australian company is embarking on the project to address a potentially critical skills shortfall in the growing gas industry.

Victoria is set to become energy capital of Australia as a number of major offshore gas projects come on stream in the coming years.

Gippsland's landmark gas training centre will be ready in 2012 to help to ensure the state has the manpower and skills to serve this burgeoning industry, said the country's business consultant Noel Sutcliffe, speaking to Gas Today.

"What we do here has traditionally grown from the power industry and we represent the training of the line workers, the people who work in the field, for the gas, oil and power companies," he added.

The company is also developing two new campuses in Leongatha and Traralgon, which have a collective budget of AU$16.7 million.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development