TRADE SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE

Mr KENYON (Newland) (14:21): My question is to the Minister for Education. How are local businesses and industry people being informed about the Trade Schools for the Future initiative?

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:22): I know the honourable member is concerned about the opportunity in business and industry to employ well-trained and skilled professionals. He realises that with high employment levels and burgeoning economic growth there is a shortage of skilled personnel within our country and, in particular, within our state. There is a growing demand for a better skilled workforce within South Australia, and the Rann government wants to ensure that young people are job ready and employable in order to take up those many opportunities.

Our investment of $29.5 million in our Trade Schools for the Future initiative will do that. The trade schools form clusters between secondary schools, TAFE institutes, local industry and community leaders and deliver practical job and career opportunities to students in areas of particular skills shortages. I am delighted to say that this initiative has had significant support from industry and, in particular, Business SA has been one of our key partners throughout the implementation of this strategy.

Already 10 trade schools are operating and the initiative is proving a significant success. We have managed 400 school-based apprenticeships which previously have been difficult to market because employers and tradespeople have struggled to understand how they could manage a school-based apprenticeship within their workplace and train a student at the same time as they are engaged in senior secondary education. Indeed, a critical factor in the success of the trade schools has been building employers' understanding of how the system might work, importantly how it would benefit them, and how they can use it within their business to build a better skilled workforce.

Our series of trade schools briefings across the state have allowed us to speak to employers and the market in order to explain how the system is working and will work for them. Part of the success of the program has been in our apprenticeship brokers. Our 20 apprenticeship brokers—two in each trade school—are employed specifically to do the brokerage between the industry placements and jobs and the schools, and particularly ensure that the families and teachers, as well as the students involved, understand the implications and the opportunities so that they are job ready to take up those positions.

Our apprenticeship brokers have skills that we would not find in our normal teaching workforce. Our apprenticeship brokers come from the trades sector, industry and business and understand the issues involved in taking on part-time apprentices. I am pleased to inform the house that our apprenticeship brokers are now working at the show. At the Royal Show, there is a display of Trade Schools for the Future in Jubilee Hall which members might like to visit should any member not yet have been to the show—I am sure all of you have been or are going. They are explaining to families, students and employers, as well as employers on other stands, how this system works.

I particularly encourage business leaders to take up these opportunities because this will not just help their business and our state but it will provide real opportunities for young people who will be guaranteed a career in the future by taking up the many skilled job opportunities available in our burgeoning economic state of South Australia.