Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced $35.6 million in funding to work with business to retrain Australia's manufacturing workforce for the future.
The new funding comes after the federal government on the weekend announced a $35 million youth employment program, Step into Skills.
Mr Rudd said supporting manufacturing required innovation and research.
"I never want to be the prime minster of a country that doesn't make things any more," he told reporters in the Liberal-held Sydney seat of Bennelong on Monday.
"We believe what we need for the future of our manufacturing is to move up the value-added chain into high skill, high tech sectors."
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He announced a returned Labor government would spend $35.6 million to retrain manufacturing workforce under a Manufacturing Skills Plus program.
It would help nearly 7000 new and existing manufacturing workers.
"We want to help companies move from low skills, low technology manufacturing to high skill, high tech sectors where we will find the jobs of the future," Mr Rudd said.
The prime minister said it built on the Steps to Skills initiative announced on Sunday.
"That's what this government is about - building our country's future brick by brick, wall by wall in order to make sure we have a strong house for the nation," he added.
The prime minister also announced a medical technology innovation partnership between the government and Macquarie University as part of an existing government program.
Innovation and industry minister Kim Carr said it was all about preparing for the jobs of future.
"This is about blue collar meeting white coat," he said.
