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Apprenticeship centres rebadged to replace ‘overly bureaucratic’ system | Apprenticeship centres rebadged to replace ‘overly bureaucratic’ system |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Small businesses in regional areas with high youth unemployment will gain access to federal government funding for training, as part of an overhaul of skills programs including the rebadging of Australian Apprenticeships Centres. | Small businesses in regional areas with high youth unemployment will gain access to federal government funding for training, as part of an overhaul of skills programs including the rebadging of Australian Apprenticeships Centres. |
The apprenticeship centres, operating from about 300 sites, were described as government-contracted “one-stop shops” for businesses seeking to hire apprentices or people wishing to take up an apprenticeships. | The apprenticeship centres, operating from about 300 sites, were described as government-contracted “one-stop shops” for businesses seeking to hire apprentices or people wishing to take up an apprenticeships. |
The government will scrap the centres and move to a new Australian Apprenticeship Support Network in July, opening the door to reducing the number of centres in the interests of efficiency. | The government will scrap the centres and move to a new Australian Apprenticeship Support Network in July, opening the door to reducing the number of centres in the interests of efficiency. |
It says the new network will receive $200m in funding each year. The existing centres were expected to receive $219m this financial year, followed by $211m each year for the rest of the budget period, according to the industry portfolio budget statement released in May. | It says the new network will receive $200m in funding each year. The existing centres were expected to receive $219m this financial year, followed by $211m each year for the rest of the budget period, according to the industry portfolio budget statement released in May. |
Tony Abbott said on Monday the new streamlined system would provide a “one-stop shop for employers, particularly small business, looking to hire a new apprentice suited to their business” but would replace “the unwieldy and overly bureaucratic system that has become bogged down in red tape”. | Tony Abbott said on Monday the new streamlined system would provide a “one-stop shop for employers, particularly small business, looking to hire a new apprentice suited to their business” but would replace “the unwieldy and overly bureaucratic system that has become bogged down in red tape”. |
The prime minister said about 50% of people who started apprenticeship training did not complete it. Abbott said while there were “a host of reasons” for the dropout rate, the government was seeking to ensure the apprenticeship system was “employer-led and outcome-focused”. | The prime minister said about 50% of people who started apprenticeship training did not complete it. Abbott said while there were “a host of reasons” for the dropout rate, the government was seeking to ensure the apprenticeship system was “employer-led and outcome-focused”. |
The industry minister, Ian Macfarlane, said the existing system had become convoluted, complicated and too rigid in some areas. Macfarlane reaffirmed his previous comments that there was “no point in having training for training’s sake”. | The industry minister, Ian Macfarlane, said the existing system had become convoluted, complicated and too rigid in some areas. Macfarlane reaffirmed his previous comments that there was “no point in having training for training’s sake”. |
The government announced two other elements of its skills plan on Monday, including $38m for the “training for employment scholarship program”. A new youth employment pathways program will target teenagers who are not in school and need assistance to be ready for a job or training, in an apparent reframing of another program due to expire in December. | The government announced two other elements of its skills plan on Monday, including $38m for the “training for employment scholarship program”. A new youth employment pathways program will target teenagers who are not in school and need assistance to be ready for a job or training, in an apparent reframing of another program due to expire in December. |
Abbott said the government would reveal further details about its competitiveness agenda in coming months. | Abbott said the government would reveal further details about its competitiveness agenda in coming months. |
The prime minister has faced accusations from the opposition and unions over the past year that he lacks a jobs plan at a time of rising unemployment. The government took a hard line against industry assistance to carmakers and SPC Ardmona, setting up renewed political argument over the role of taxpayer funds in safeguarding jobs. | The prime minister has faced accusations from the opposition and unions over the past year that he lacks a jobs plan at a time of rising unemployment. The government took a hard line against industry assistance to carmakers and SPC Ardmona, setting up renewed political argument over the role of taxpayer funds in safeguarding jobs. |
It has come under further pressure in light of budget decisions to strip young jobseekers of unemployment benefits for six months each year – a measure that is unlikely to pass the Senate in its current form. | It has come under further pressure in light of budget decisions to strip young jobseekers of unemployment benefits for six months each year – a measure that is unlikely to pass the Senate in its current form. |
The employment scholarship program would allow small businesses to have access to “wholly funded government training” tailored to the needs of their business. Businesses hiring an unemployed person aged 18-24 would be eligible for funding to pay for up to 26 weeks of training, with about 7,500 scholarships provided in the initial round. | The employment scholarship program would allow small businesses to have access to “wholly funded government training” tailored to the needs of their business. Businesses hiring an unemployed person aged 18-24 would be eligible for funding to pay for up to 26 weeks of training, with about 7,500 scholarships provided in the initial round. |
Abbott said the pathways program would “assist young Australians in regional areas to identify and successfully start on the path to their chosen career by returning to school, starting vocational education training or moving into the workforce”. | Abbott said the pathways program would “assist young Australians in regional areas to identify and successfully start on the path to their chosen career by returning to school, starting vocational education training or moving into the workforce”. |
It appears to be a revised version of the “youth connections” scheme, which is due to expire in December. Youth connections providers helped people aged 15 to 19 who were at risk of not attaining year 12 or equivalent qualification, and at risk of not making a successful transition to further education, training or employment. | It appears to be a revised version of the “youth connections” scheme, which is due to expire in December. Youth connections providers helped people aged 15 to 19 who were at risk of not attaining year 12 or equivalent qualification, and at risk of not making a successful transition to further education, training or employment. |
Labor’s vocational education spokeswoman, Sharon Bird, said the government’s announcements amounted to “an attempt to dress up a bit of restructuring as a great new initiative”. | |
Bird said the rebadged apprenticeship network would have to do more tasks with less funding. Employers were an important voice in the training system, but workers’ representatives and training providers must also be heard, she said. | |
The Australian Industry Group welcomed the “employer-driven model”, saying it would ensure industry had the capable workforce needed to secure Australia’s future competitiveness. | |
“A tender process will result in a comprehensive suite of services for more than 100,000 employers of apprentices delivered by a series of network providers,” the group said in a statement. “Services will be outcomes-driven, targeted to better match apprentices or trainees with employer needs, provide course and training advice, deliver personalised mentoring services and employer assistance.” | |
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry also applauded the plan, saying there was “an urgent need for action on youth employment”. | |
But the Greens’ spokeswoman on higher education, Lee Rhiannon, said the Coalition wanted “to turn the clock back to the discredited training policies of last century where technical education was designed purely to meet the employment needs of favoured industries”. |
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