House of Assembly Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Apprenticeship and Traineeship Program APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM Mr PICCOLO House of Assembly Light APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM Mr PICCOLO (Light) (14:18): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. What do the latest trainee and apprentice figures released today mean for South Australia? The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN House of Assembly Napier Minister for Employment Minister for Road Safety Minister for Science and Information Economy APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:19): I am pleased to advise the house today of positive news for South Australia regarding our apprentices and trainees. Figures released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research for the 2008 December quarter show that South Australia has recorded a significant increase in the number of people embarking on traineeships and apprenticeships, despite the global crisis. In South Australia, 33,000 apprentices and trainees were in training, an increase of 7.5 per cent for the year ending 31 December. This was an increase of substantial dimensions in comparison with the national increase which was only 2.6 per cent for the same period. So, South Australia outperformed the national average by a magnitude of around three. The figures for young apprentices and trainees were also extremely strong. As of 31 December, an estimated 18,800 apprentices and trainees aged 24 years and younger were in training in South Australia—an increase of 3.1 per cent compared with 31 December 2007. This is compared with a 0.2 per cent decrease nationally. Again, on this particular criterion, we are well in front of performance on a national basis. Trade and technical apprenticeships have shown particularly strong growth rates, and I think this indicates the forward thinking nature of our young people looking for opportunities, particularly in the defence and mining sectors. As at 31 December 2008, there were an estimated 13,300 technical and trade work apprentices in South Australia, which was an increase of 8.2 per cent on the figure of 12,300 recorded 12 months earlier. Again, this compares to an increase of only 1.4 per cent nationally. On all the indicators, South Australia is not only showing strong positive growth with our apprentices and trainees but is solidly outperforming the rest of the nation. The figures released today by NCVER prove an excellent result in South Australia, and I expect the current incentives being offered by the South Australian government such as the Drought Retention Apprenticeships Program, which applies very much across regional South Australia and about which I have advised the house previously, will continue to assist those businesses, apprentices and trainees in securing a positive, work-ready future for themselves and South Australia.