VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (14:23): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Can the minister inform the house about how the state government is assisting young people to access vocational education and training while still at school?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:23): I thank the member for Torrens for this very important question. The state government has a longstanding commitment to supporting young people in gaining the skills that they need to set them up for the future. I have seen how our schools tailor studies, especially in the senior secondary years, to offer students more flexible choices about their studies that reflect their ambitions and the career choices they may seek to make in preparation for leaving school.

For example, we have our network of Trade Schools for the Future and a wide range of industry pathway programs. These are helping students acquire skills in areas such as plumbing, the automotive industry, health, or engineering, while also completing their SACE. In fact, students can gain credits for their VET courses towards their SACE.

Vocational education and training courses are especially ideal, especially important for students who may not want to go to university on first leaving school. These students do want and do need and are entitled, in fact, to the higher level skills that are demanded in today's workforce. I am pleased that government-funded training places will now be available for most South Australians aged 16 or over for the first time. Eligible students can access fee-free courses at certificate I and II level. This means that young people, who often have limited income, will be able to start training without having to worry about course fees.

In order to support young people to go from school into further education and a rewarding career that is right for them, the state government's Skills for All initiative has introduced the training guarantee for SACE students. This gives students who have started a certificate III qualification pathway at school a guaranteed funded training place at TAFE SA or any other approved Skills for All training provider. That means that they can complete their qualifications with real practical support after they leave school.

The training guarantee also means there are no course fees for students for a certificate II qualification and only some fees for a certificate III, and the government pays for the remainder of the cost of the course. I encourage all young South Australians thinking about their future training needs to visit the Skills for All website, where they can find out more information about this really important initiative.