VET PROGRAM

39 Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (10 July 2007). How will the increase in the proportion of employers engaging in the VET system be achieved?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Youth, Minister for Gambling): The Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology has implemented measures designed to boost employer engagement with the VET system. This includes the following:

As part of the South Australia Works initiative, 370 industry wide projects aimed at improving workforce practices (such as succession planning, and staff recruitment and retention) have been instigated. These projects have addressed the current and future labour and skills demands of more than 2,200 businesses and industry organisations;

As part of Skills for South Australia: Building on Strong Foundations, $98 million has been invested in skills initiatives for strategically significant industries with the potential for rapid jobs growth and skills demands; and

The establishment of Industry Skills Board clusters to support workforce planning and address skills shortages in the minerals and defence industries, to further strengthen engagement with employers in those sectors.