Apprenticeships and Traineeships

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (14:46): My question is to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. Can the minister update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is keeping South Australia safe and strong through increased training and jobs?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (14:46): I thank the member for Newland for his interest and his passion for apprenticeships and traineeships in his electorate where it's a very important issue.

The Marshall government continues to deliver a strong response to COVID-19, keeping South Australians safe and in jobs. Our state continues to respond to the impacts of the pandemic as well as, if not better than, anywhere in the world. Our economy is performing strongly with business confidence at a record high and full-time employment at record high levels. South Australia is leading the nation in jobs and wages growth. A key component to wages growth has been our success in training reform and support, leading to more people in paid training and skilled careers.

The latest national data from the NCVER last week shows that since coming to office the Marshall government has the highest growth of apprenticeships and traineeships in the nation—nation-leading growth in apprenticeships and traineeships. Data to March 2021 highlights that South Australia has easily outpaced the nation in the number of people taking up an apprenticeship or a traineeship, up 51.5 per cent under the Marshall government in the three years to 31 March 2021, 28 per cent higher than the second ranked state, Tasmania.

This compares to a decline in apprenticeships and traineeships in the last term of the former Labor government of 48.2 per cent, the worst performing state in the nation between 2014 and 2016. The Marshall government has completely turned around the apprenticeship system in South Australia: from the worst in the nation under Labor to the best in the nation under the Marshall Liberal government. We know more skills means more and better jobs here in South Australia. This is what we have been delivering and what we will continue to deliver for South Australians: 12,000 commencements and 22,500 in paid training for the first time in seven years.

No matter your age or background, whether you are upskilling or you are returning to the workforce—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —under the Marshall Liberal government, your training is supported both on and off the job. South Australia leads the nation for the highest growth of mature-age apprenticeship and traineeship commencements for ages 25 to 44, increasing 52.7 per cent—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the leader!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —and even greater increases of 83 per cent in the crucial 45 years and over category. Growth of those over the age of 25 doing apprenticeships is the highest growth in the country. South Australia leads the nation with school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, where commencements increased by 28.5 per cent when the rest of the nation went backwards.

Aboriginal apprenticeship and traineeship commencements over the year to March increased by 33 per cent, number one in the nation; just 11.5 per cent nationally. There was a 31.6 per cent increase of Indigenous South Australians in training and just a 15.2 per cent increase nationally—so more than double the national increase. There was an increase of 15.8 per cent in completions, number one in the nation; nationally, a decrease of 13 per cent. These are nation-leading results for Indigenous Australians in commencements, in training and completions.

South Australia also leads the nation in completions. While there is still work to be done, South Australia ranks number one in completions in construction trade apprenticeships, which increased by 8.7 per cent in that sector. It has the best performing TAFE and non-government provider completions in the nation, the best performing completions in regional and remote Australia, the best performing completions in metropolitan areas, the best completions for Indigenous and young people.

Our nation-leading apprenticeships and traineeships growth stops if Labor implements its narrow policy that was introduced yesterday—the end, under Labor.

The SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.