LATEST NEWS REGARDING AUSTRALIAN APPRENTICESHIPS
25 November 2009
2009 Australian Training Awards winners
The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, has congratulated the winners of the 2009 Australian Training Awards held in Canberra and MEGT is particularly thrilled to see Jacob Noonan winning Australian School-based Apprentice of the Year. Jacob is from Mornington, Victoria and is undertaking a Certificate IV in Racing (Jockey).
MEGT Australian Apprenticeships Centre assisted with the administration of Jacob’s apprenticeship and monitored his progression over the past year. The Australian Training Awards are the peak national awards for vocational education and training and recognise innovation and excellence in the training sector across Australia. Students, apprentices and trainees are acknowledged for their career and study achievements.
Congratulations also go to:
Australian Apprentice of the Year - Blake McCarthy from Seville Grove, Western Australia - a systems electrician.
Vocational Student of the Year - Jason Bromley, Allenby Gardens, South Australia - completed an Advanced Diploma of Community Services Management.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year - Dasha Newington, Sydney, New South Wales - completed a Diploma of Aboriginal Studies.
Australian Apprentice (Trainee) of the Year - Jacqueline Vella, Arcadia, New South Wales - works in disability services.
And in the Organisational categories:
Prime Ministers Small Business of the Year - Cyber Hair, Kingston, Tasmania.
Australian Training Initiative - Western Australian Department of Corrective Services, Perth, Western Australia.
VET in Schools Excellence - Western Australian College of Agriculture, Cunderdin, Western Australia.
Small Training Provider of the Year - Blue Dog Training, Toowong, Queensland.
Large Training Provider of the Year - Swinburne University of Technology (TAFE Division), Melbourne, Victoria.
Employer of the Year - Hollywood Private Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia.
Skills for Sustainability - TAFE NSW - Northern Sydney Institute.
For more information, about the awards and finalists, visit
www.australiantrainingawards.gov.au
Kickstart your business
The Apprentice Kickstart program is scheduled to run over summer and will more than triple the first-year incentive paid to employers who this summer take on apprentices in traditional trades experiencing skill shortages. The package will be available to employers who take on an eligible traditional trades apprentice aged 19 years and under between 1 December 2009 and 28 February 2010, or until a total of 21 000 apprentices have commenced in traditional trades hardest hit by skills shortages.
Contact your local MEGT Australian Apprenticeships Centre to find out if your business is eligible for the additional funding.
States and Territories endorse National Green Skills Agreement
A new National Green Skills Agreement was announced at a meeting of the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE) in Canberra. In early-2010, a National Action Group will be convened, with a view to developing a National Green Skills Action Plan by June 2010.
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/gillard/media/releases/pages/article_091120_161320.aspx
Government and industry partner to combat skills shortages
A national Keep Australian Apprentices Working Roundtable is addressing continuing trade skill shortages across Australia. Senator Arbib said the Australian Government believes strong partnerships with industry are necessary to build the skills base needed for economic recovery and that there is a need a focus on green skills for a cleaner, smarter economy. He stated opportunities for apprentices to defer and to resume their studies, without penalty is also required.
For more information visit http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/gillard/media/releases/pages/article_091120_174720.aspx
QUEENSLAND NEWS
Changes to appeals process under the VETE Act 2000
With the establishment of the new Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT), which begins formal operations on 1 December 2009, there will be a change to the appeals process under the Vocational Education Training and Employment Act (2000).
While appeals about registration and accreditation decisions are currently heard by a Magistrate, under new laws (Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009and the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Jurisdiction Provisions) Amendment Act 2009)they will be heard by the QCAT.
For more information see the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal website.
20 November 2009
Prepare now for when the Australian economy recovers: Kickstart business with additional Government Incentive
The Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib encourages businesses to take advantage of the Government's $100 million Apprentice Kickstart program. The Minister wants local businesses to get their fair share of the apprentice Kickstart program by applying to get the financial Incentive from 1 December 2009. The Apprenticeship Kickstart will be funded from the Government's $650 million Jobs Fund. The bonus will be available for employers of Australian Apprentices who are aged 19 years or under, and employed between 1 December 2009 and 28 February 2010 or until 21,000 apprentices have commenced in traditional trades hardest hit by skills shortages (as identified on the National Skills Needs List).
As part of the $100 million Kickstart, the Government is also providing $20 million for pre-apprenticeships.
The Minister says the Government’s $100 million Apprentice Kickstart program will support up to 21,000 young Australians entering traditional trades this summer and will fast-forward hiring decisions to bring apprentice numbers up to levels before the global recession.
The funding boost brings to around $250 million the level of additional support the Rudd Government is providing to apprentices.
Please note that this is an additional bonus Incentive on top of existing Incentives of $4,000 for employing Australian Apprentices plus specialist Incentives (such as the rural regional $1,000 Incentive). Contact your local MEGT Australian Apprenticeships Centre to find out whether your business is eligible for this funding. For further information please visit:
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/arbib/media/releases/pages/article_091105_140416.aspx
To see a research report on this subject visit http://www.ncver.edu.au/
Taskforce to focus on jobs for the long term
The Minister for Human Services Chris Bowen and the Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib announced a Taskforce for Strengthening Government Service Delivery for Job Seekers to assist job seekers to capitalise on the employment opportunities.
Mr Bowen said the taskforce would focus on new and innovative ways to strengthen Government service delivery for job seekers and employers through better use of the services of Centrelink and employment services, especially Job Services Australia.
For more information, visit
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/arbib/media/releases/pages/article_091112_091332.aspx
The future of Australian Technical Colleges
State and Territory governments have announced the following Australian Technical Colleges will be integrated into their education systems:
>> Darwin (NT)
>> Wannon (Victoria)
>> East Melbourne (Victoria)
>> Sunshine (Victoria)
The Australian Government has worked closely with the State and Territory governments and the Boards of the ATCs to ensure that all currently enrolled students complete their education and training pathway.
For more information, visit
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/gillard/media/releases/pages/article_091113_145406.aspx
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/gillard/media/releases/pages/article_091113_161832.aspx
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/gillard/media/releases/pages/article_091113_162144.aspx
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/gillard/media/releases/pages/article_091113_162515.aspx
Manufacturing Skills Australia - Innovation Program Study Award
Manufacturing Skills Australia has announced the establishment of its Innovation Program for the manufacturing and automotive industries.
The Program is designed to extend the capability and performance of Australian manufacturing and automotive industries through education and training, and workforce development and offers a Study Award to the nominal value of $10,000. Applications are invited from Vocational Education and Training (VET) students, VET teachers and trainers, assessors, enterprise employees and owners. There are no limitations on age or background.
It is anticipated the successful applicant would spend three to four weeks involved in a study program and/or visits to industry and/or educational/training institutions outside of Australia. The recipient of the Study Award must complete their travel by December 2010.
Applications forms are available from Application Form. For more information, contact Bernadette Shiel, Promotions and Communications Manager, Manufacturing Skills Australia 02 9955 5500.
Government opens Jobs Fund Round 2
Applications for the second round of the Australian Government's Jobs Fund are now open. This round of the Jobs Fund and the new Keep Australia Working service aim to support jobs in areas hardest hit by the economic downturn, Senator Arbib said.
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/arbib/media/releases/pages/article_091105_132213.aspx
Government partners with industry to provide additional training places
The Australian Government will co-fund up to 11,000 additional training places for small and medium business in a $25 million program designed to address skills shortages as the economy improves. The Government's contribution will depend on the size of the business, with organisations with less than 100 employees receiving 90 per cent of their training costs, those with between 100 and 199 receiving 75 percent, and those with 200 or more employees receiving 50 per cent of their training costs. The program which is part of the larger Productivity Places Program will deliver training and skills needs, create training pathways, recognise existing skills of workers and provide training places.
http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/gillard/media/releases/pages/article_091105_135307.aspx
Rural and Regional Aged Care Workers to Benefit from $2.6 Million Training Initiative
Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot today announced $2.6 million to provide training for 4000 staff working in rural and regional aged care homes. Minister Elliot made the announcement in her opening address to the Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA) annual conference in Melbourne. The Support for Aged Care Training (SACT) short courses focus on specialised areas such as wound management, diabetes care, medication management, falls prevention and manual handling.
For more information visit http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr09-je-je127.htm?OpenDocument&yr=2009&mth=11
From 1 January 2010, the Australian Government has mandated that Australian Apprenticeships training programs will include mandatory green skills as part of their training
Yesterday the Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, opened the interactive Try-A-Trade event on the lawns in front of Parliament House where Members of Parliament and Senators joined students, skills experts and the public to get a hands-on experience in how the traditional trades are leading the country towards a low carbon future. Apprentices are doing work on the front line of tackling climate change and they were demonstrating the green skills required to transform Australia's workplaces.
New jobs and skills will be required to tackle climate change and Australia’s apprentices are embracing the skills needed for a greener economy.
The Australian Government is taking a National Green Skills Agreement to the COAG meeting next month that will:
set national standards of green practice and teaching in vocational education and training
update existing training for apprentices to include green skills
assist VET instructors and teachers to learn new green skills to pass on to students
develop a program to assist vulnerable workers to develop new green skills.
For more information on the Apprentice Kickstart package, visit http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/Australian_Apprentice/Kickstart.asp
To see this media release visit http://www.deewr.gov.au/ministers/gillard/media/releases/pages/article_091119_104510.aspx
New Year news
Commencing on 1 January 2010 new Australian government initiatives to stimulate employment of apprentices and trainees include:
* Broadening eligibility for the $4,000 incentive payments to the employers of all Australian Apprentices who are studying Diploma and Advanced Diploma level qualifications.
* The extension of the Support for Mid-Career Apprentice payment from those aged 30 and over to those aged 25 and over. The new payment will be called ‘Support for Adult Apprentices’.
* Custodial Australian Apprentices who commence an Australian Apprenticeship will become eligible for Australian Apprenticeship incentives upon release. Employers who employ custodial Australian Apprentices may be eligible to attract incentives provided they continue to employ the Australian Apprentice post-release.
This initiative applies to people who are serving a prison sentence and commence an Australian Apprenticeship in preparation for release into the community. Currently, if the Australian Apprentice stays with the same employer for the term of their Australian Apprenticeship, no incentives flow to either the employer or the Australian Apprentice.
* The enhancement of the ‘Tools For Your Trade’ voucher initiative to the new ‘Tools For Your Trade’ payment initiative for Australian Apprentices. This combines and extends three existing separate support initiatives (the Tools For Your Trade voucher, Apprenticeship Wage Top-Up and Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarship) into the one new ‘Tools For Your Trade’ payment under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive Program.
The new ‘Tools For Your Trade’ payment will be available to Australian Apprentices in selected trade occupations, agricultural occupations, and if in rural and regional Australia, horticulture occupations. The new payment comprises five tax exempt cash payments totalling $3,800 paid over the life of the Australian Apprenticeship. Payments of $800 will be paid at the three, 12 and 24 month points and $700 at the 36 month point and on completion.
As a result of the new ‘Tools For Your Trade’ payment, commencing on 1 January 2010, Apprenticeship Wage Top-Up and Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarship initiatives will cease for new commencements as of 31 December 2009.
For more information, visit
http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/whatsnew/budget_2009.asp
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Australian Apprenticeships are an Australian government initiative