House of Assembly Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2) 54 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Women in Skills Training Women in Skills Training Ms LUETHEN House of Assembly King Women in Skills Training Ms LUETHEN (King) (14:18): My question is to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. Can the minister update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is supporting females into training and jobs. The Hon. D.G. PISONI House of Assembly Unley Minister for Innovation and Skills Women in Skills Training The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (14:18): I thank the member for King not only for her interest but for her strong advocacy for women, not just in King but throughout South Australia. South Australia has a record number of people in work, a record number of hours worked, a record number of South Australians working full time, and the lowest female unemployment rate in 13 years—4.4 per cent. We have more women in work now than before COVID 19; that is 19,000 more women in work now than at the peak of COVID 19 and most of those women are working full time. To ensure that South Australia is equipped for today's new jobs and the jobs of tomorrow, the Marshall Liberal government's Skilling South Australia program is delivering nation-leading results, translating into more jobs and lasting careers in traditional sectors and in new and expanding industries like defence, space, advanced manufacturing, health and social care. Skilling South Australia projects, co-designed with business and industry, are supporting women into sustainable jobs and careers. One of those examples that I can share with the house today is the Women in Welding project, a partnership with the Adelaide Training and Employment Centre (ATEC) and Naval Group Australia supporting women through pre-apprenticeship training. The $120,000 project aims to boost female participation in the Attack class submarine workforce and support women into exciting careers in specialist welding. Recruitment is underway for female participants, with the project expected to commence next month. The participants will then transfer into a paid trade apprenticeship in Certificate III in Engineering, metal fabrication, which will provide on and off the job paid training in the defence sector. Since 2018, more than 44,000 apprentices and trainees have commenced under the Marshall government, and the Marshall government is leading the nation in apprentice and trainee growth, including in female participation. The latest NCVER figures show that South Australia has increased the number of female apprentices and trainees by 25.8 per cent in the last year alone. This compares with a decrease of 47 per cent over the last term of the previous Labor government—chalk and cheese. Through the expanded Marshall government's Subsidised Training List, $70 million has been invested in training delivery, especially for women in 2019-20, supporting over 21,000 women to gain skills in the workforce. There are some other examples of where we have worked specifically with women, and this is a very important one: Empowering Career Options, the Skilling South Australia pre-apprenticeship program, targeting around 30 women who have survived domestic violence into steady employment and economic participation through traineeships in Certificate III in Business Administration. This project has been designed to break down barriers for affected women, empowering them through education and employment and providing them with skills and confidence and additional counselling when they need it. The project also aims to help women overcome challenges and take positive steps toward financial independence. Funding is open now for any employer who wants to participate in this program. Women in Civil is a pre-apprenticeship program co-designed with the Civil Contractors Federation. This project includes mentoring and support for participants to successfully transition into paid apprenticeships. Until the Marshall government came to office, there were no apprenticeships in the civil construction sector. We have brand-new apprenticeships introduced by the Marshall government. Resthaven Community Aged Care is a pilot program supporting women into traineeships. The sorts of things they had to do in their own time under the previous government they are now being paid to do under the Marshall government.