Productivity Places Program
Savings in training to upskill your staff
As part of its Skilling Australia for the Future initiative, the government recognises the importance of nationally endorsed training in assisting job seekers or existing staff to acquire skills and gain lasting employment and assisting existing workers to update or upgrade their skills.
The government has allocated 645,000 training places over five years to ensure that Australians develop the skills that industry needs. The training places will be delivered in an industry-driven system, ensuring that training is more responsive to the needs of enterprises and individuals.
In 2009, the existing workers component of the Productivity Places Program will be rolled out fully, with a great deal of interest being shown by workers looking to increase their skill levels.
- 392,000 training places allocated to existing workers wanting to gain or upgrade their skills
- 319,000 (including 20,000 structural adjustment places) allocated to job seekers
Up to 10,000 existing worker places have already been made available from August 2008 to December 2010 through Memoranda of Understanding with every State and Territory. These will be greatly enhanced through the delivery of places under the National Partnership Agreement signed at COAG in November 2008.
10,000 places for the Targeted Productivity Places Program (TPPP) is available for newly retrenched workers at the Certificate III level and Certificate IV level and commenced 1 July 2009.
The TPPP builds on the 10,000 Structural Adjustment places available in 2008/2009 for retrenched workers.
Further assistance for jobseekers to improve their skills was announced as part of the $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Package.
The Learning and Training Bonus effectively increases the Education Entry Payment, an incentive payment aimed at getting people the skills they need to get back into work, from $208 to $1158.
Taxation benefits for skills training
Please visit http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/content.asp?doc=/content/19898.htm&page=1#P25_2225 for information on Taxation assistance for skills training.
*conditions apply
Certificate IV Retail Management (SIR40207)
Perth, Western Australia
MEGT Institute in WA and the Salvation Army Employment Plus have joined forces to contribute to skilling Australia through the Government funded Productivity Places Program for jobseekers.
By jointly driving this initiative Jobseekers have benefited from a three phase approach. They are given some intensive vocational training followed by work experience and finally some basic computer and job search training. The outcomes are a nationally recognised qualification and a more confident and capable approach to achieving employment.
Queensland
Many of Queensland’s leading shopping centres are getting on board to do their bit towards skilling Australia. MEGT Institute is running Retail Management courses through the Government funded Productivity Places Program for existing workers. In a bid to maximise the effectiveness of their managers and assistant managers, retail business owners are embracing this opportunity for upskilling and retaining their key people. “It’s a chance for me to give something back to my team, after all, they put so much effort in and this can only improve my business” quoted one Gold Coast retailer.
All enquiries about such courses should be directed to Jim Colley on 0411791062.