Vocational Education and Training

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN (15:43): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question regarding Indigenous unemployment in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: I refer to the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology Agency Statement in the 2012-13 budget. Based on the performance indicators, in 2011-12, there were 4,747 Indigenous Australians participating in the vocational education and training program and, of those 4,747, only 42.8 per cent of these Indigenous students are completing their qualification. Can the minister provide an explanation as to why there is such a low participation and completion rate for Indigenous students in the vocational education and training programs?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:44): Indeed, this is an area of great challenge for this government and other governments. It is one that we continue to work very vigorously on. South Australia is committed to halving the gap in employment outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people by 2018, as reflected in our State Strategic Plan. Unlike the federal Liberal government, which has just slashed funding to Aboriginal people and Aboriginal communities, this government continues to support efforts in this area.

In 2013, there were 3,100 course enrolments of Aboriginal students through Skills for All, an increase of 66 per cent or 1,200 extra enrolments when compared with 2012. So, just to reiterate that: since the introduction of Skills for All there has been an increase of 66 per cent or 1,200 extra enrolments when compared with 2012. Since the Aboriginal employment cluster initiative commenced in late 2010, 737 Aboriginal people have been supported into training and 381 participants have gained a job. The Skills for Jobs in Regions program delivered employment initiatives to over 1,000 Aboriginal people, with over 330 people gaining a job in 2012-13.

DFEEST has an Aboriginal engagement to employment strategy which strives to connect Aboriginal job seekers and students to industry-tailored skills training, career information and hands-on job experiences; connects employers to work-ready Aboriginal job seekers; and ensures that Aboriginal job seekers have the breadth of employability skills needed to be competitive across a range of industries, improving their opportunities for sustainable employment. A range of integrated initiatives contribute to the outcomes achieved through the strategy, including an Aboriginal employment support service, Aboriginal apprenticeship program, Connecting Aboriginal People to Resource Industries Program, remote public internet access centres in remote Aboriginal communities, Building Family Opportunities and funding for Tauondi Aboriginal College, TAFE SA Aboriginal Access Centres and the APY TAFE program.

To achieve halving the gap in employment outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people by 2018 requires, obviously, significant efforts. In addition to Skills for All funding, $13.5 million is being invested in Aboriginal training and employment initiatives in 2013-14. As I said, there have been a number of unique and innovative approaches that have been implemented to assist to increase the number of Aboriginal people in employment, and I have mentioned the Aboriginal employment industry cluster initiative, where employers have formed seven industry clusters in the sectors of: advanced manufacturing; community services; energy, water and resources; hospitality; professional services; retail; and the South Australian public sector.

Each industry cluster is led by a senior industry champion and seeks to address the under-representation of Aboriginal people in their respective workforce. The initiative emphasises partnerships, real jobs and sustainable outcomes and includes outcomes in new areas where previously there were no Aboriginal people employed. For example, 41 Aboriginal people are now employed in the professional services sector.

Skills for Jobs in Regions, which I have referred to, engages job seekers in tailored, location-specific employment projects where they become work ready and are connected to local employers and job opportunities. Tour of Opportunities, which is a partnership with Reconciliation SA, connected over 250 Aboriginal school students and job seekers to career pathways and employment opportunities through an interactive tour of Aboriginal employment industry clusters.