Vocational Education and Training

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Industry and Skills. Will the minister provide an update on training participation in South Australia, including future forecasts supported by initiatives of the state government?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Industry and Skills) (15:06): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and may I use this first opportunity on my feet to congratulate you on becoming the Speaker of this house. I thank the member for King, who is affectionately known in her electorate as 'The Queen of King' for the amazing outcome that she delivered in delivering the seat of King to the Liberal Party at the last election.

I know that she is very interested in young people, being the mother of two, a young woman and a younger boy, and their future here in South Australia. But it is disappointing if we look at where the starting base is for growing the opportunities for apprenticeships and traineeships here in South Australia. The latest data available through the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research shows that the number of VET students funded by the government in South Australia was 70,900 in 2016. That's the lowest number on record, a fall of almost 18 per cent on 2015, yet it has fallen by 30 per cent over the last five years.

Our VET participation rate is the lowest of all states at 6.3 per cent—these are the latest figures available from the date of 2016—below the national average rate of 7.8 per cent and almost 3 per cent lower than five years ago. Significant falls were recorded in the last five years (that's 2011 to 2016) in the following areas. Students at TAFE fell by 16,500 (26.7 per cent) to just 45,300 students. Students at non-TAFE providers fell by 14,200 (35.6 per cent) to 25,600 students. Youth participation in VET (ages between 15 and 24 years) fell by 14,700 (34.9 per cent) to 27,400 students.

Apprentice and trainee activities fell in the last five years in many areas. As at September 2017, 15,200 apprentices and trainees were in training, a fall of 60 per cent compared to five years ago. There were 9,000 commencements in 2017 for the four quarters to September, a 66.3 per cent fall on the 2012 figures, and 6,200 completions in 2017—again, at the end of the September quarter—a 52.6 per cent fall.

But all is not lost, sir, because the Liberal Party, in the last election, made a commitment to return apprenticeships and traineeships to the status where they belong. I know that the apprenticeship system has worked tremendously for me and for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, and we are determined to bring back those opportunities that apprenticeships give South Australians as part of this government.

As part of our election platform, the government will invest over $100 million to create more than 20,000 places in the Vocational Education Training system as apprentices and trainees. Our plan is crucial to providing young South Australians with more opportunities to secure an apprenticeship or traineeship.

My discussions with the commonwealth to match this funding through the Skilling Australians Fund have been positive. Together, we will be spending $200 million over the next four years, which will significantly boost South Australia's training rate via new apprenticeships and traineeships. This will include apprenticeships and traineeships for occupations in demand, including in the defence sector and, of course, the building sector, industries and sectors of future growth, industry areas struggling with current skills shortages, and trade apprenticeships. This is a major investment in skills and development that will lead to job outcomes under this government.