Training and Skills Funding

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (14:47): My question is for the Minister for Innovation and Skills. Can the minister update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is working with the commonwealth to deliver more training and skilled jobs?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (14:47): I thank the member for Flinders. I am sure that, like me, he was there rejoicing with every word of the federal Treasurer last night as we heard about the benefits that the budget was delivering for South Australia. Of course, the Marshall and Morrison governments have worked together in partnership to deliver increased and targeted training focusing on getting South Australians skilled and into sustainable long-term careers first under Skilling South Australia, and we were the first state to sign in September 2018.

Then, of course, when COVID hit we signed up with the federal government with the JobTrainer program, which was another support for training particularly aimed at young people and jobseekers. We have worked together to provide opportunities for vocational education and training, delivering the skills required by employers and raising the status of VET—not just raising the status but also raising the participation of apprenticeships and traineeships. We are leading the nation.

We all know that from 2012 to 2018 there was an average of a 19 per cent decline in the number of commencements of apprenticeships and traineeships under those opposite. By March 2019, we had reversed that trend and, since then, we have been leading the nation in commencements and apprentices in training. There was a 7.6 per cent increase in the number of apprentices and trainees in the latest figures from September last year. Every other state and territory went backwards. The commonwealth budget continues the strong focus on training with new funding announcements.

When was the last time, Mr Speaker, that you saw such an emphasis on skills training in a federal budget? When was the last time that happened? I can't remember, and I have been around politics for a very long time. The Prime Minister is pushing apprenticeships and traineeships, the Treasurer is pushing apprenticeships and traineeships, the Premier is pushing apprenticeships and traineeships, and I am doing a bit of it myself too.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: The education minister asks me: do I know anything about apprentices? Well, I was an apprentice once. Of course, there is $652.1 million to train the existing aged-care workforce and encourage more people to enter the industry. This is in line with what we are doing here in South Australia. When we first came to office, one of the very first projects that we rolled out was in the care sector for paid traineeships. The system that those opposite left us here was for people to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Cheltenham!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —study in their own time and work for free to get their on-the-job training. We are rolling out paid traineeships, and we support the federal government in its partnership to do that. There are 5,000 extra training positions for women wanting to start in non-traditional roles for women. We have already been doing that work here in South Australia, with organisations like PEER, the MBA, the Civil Contractors and Naval Group.

We saw an extension to the JobTrainer program for another 12 months and an additional $2.7 billion for employers to take on 170,000 new apprentices and trainees. This is the expansion of the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements until March next year. This is directly aimed at young people, giving young people more opportunities and, of course, for those who have pivoted out of industries that are not as relevant as they were before COVID to get new skills and to upskill through taking on an adult apprenticeship or traineeship.

There has never been a better time to take on an apprentice or a trainee. The federal government has recognised that, the state government has recognised that and we are working together to deliver those outcomes.