ABORIGINAL ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SKILLS

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. Can the minister outline to the house how the South Australian government is assisting Aboriginal South Australians to gain advanced manufacturing skills?

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (15:02): Ma'am, I will give it my best shot. I thank the member for Florey for her question, and many people in this house will happily acknowledge her longstanding interest and advocacy on behalf of Aboriginal people and, indeed, the link to training and a bright future for them.

The state government is working with the commonwealth, industry and Aboriginal communities to halve the gap between employment outcomes for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people by 2018. I am pleased to be able to inform the house that, through a targeted project developed by the state government and industry, up to 69 Aboriginal job seekers will have the opportunity to undertake training, leading to employment opportunities in the advanced manufacturing sector.

Training will be provided by three training organisations, including TAFE SA, and will be tailored to the needs of industry. This training will be in a range of certificate II qualifications, including engineering, electrotechnology and sustainable energy. The project is worth $567,000 and is funded through the Productivity Places Program and will help job seekers enter the labour market with skills and qualifications that are in high demand by industry.

This project was developed collaboratively by the state government, the Australian government and the Australian Industry Group through the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Cluster, one of seven clusters formed through the government's Aboriginal Employment Industry Champions Network in 2010. The network comprises large South Australian employers, organised into clusters, who have committed to supporting commonwealth and state training and employment targets. Employers from the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Cluster (including Sage Automation, Australian Submarine Corp, Jurlique, AVK Valves and E&A Contractors) have committed to offering employment opportunities to suitable graduates.

The Productivity Places Program for Job Seekers also supports the state government's jobs strategy to create 100,000 additional apprenticeships and training places. The program is part of the state government's commitment to assist people experiencing difficulties entering or staying in the workforce to participate in learning and work. The program also supports our moves to create a fairer and more flexible and modern vocational education and training sector through our Skills for All reforms. Applications for the final round of the Productivity Places Program for Job Seekers closes on 23 November 2011.