Skills for All

Adjourned debate on motion of the Hon. J.M.A. Lensink.

1. That a select committee of the Legislative Council be established to inquire into and report on—

(a) the extent to which the objectives and goals of the South Australian Government’s Skills for All program, specifically in relation to employment and productivity growth in South Australia as outlined in the 2011 Skills for All White Paper, have been met;

(b) the impact of the Skills for All program and associated funding and policy changes on the financial and operational capacity of TAFE SA to deliver training and employment programs in South Australia, particularly in regional South Australia;

(c) the impact of the implementation and operation of the Skills for All Program on the capacity, transparency, efficiency and viability of the South Australian training market, including on registered training operators;

(d) the full financial impact, including long-term financial viability, of the introduction and ongoing operation of the Skills for All Program on the South Australian budget and government agencies;

(e) the extent to which the current and anticipated future training and employment needs of South Australian businesses, including regional South Australian industry, were met by the Skills for All program;

(f) the manner and extent to which South Australian industry has been consulted in relation to the funding and training priorities under Skills for All;

(g) the efficiency and effectiveness of the South Australian apprenticeship and traineeship arrangements since the introduction of Skills for All;

(h) the extent to which the Skills for All program complements or duplicates initiatives and programs undertaken by commonwealth government and non-government training and employment programs, particularly in regional South Australia;

(i) an assessment of key principles and operational arrangements that must be taken into account in designing and implementing the WorkReady program; and

(j) any other relevant matter.

2. That standing order No. 389 be so far suspended as to enable the chairperson of the committee to have a deliberative vote only.

3. That this council permits the select committee to authorise the disclosure or publication, as it thinks fit, of any evidence or documents presented to the committee prior to such evidence being presented to the council.

4. That standing order No. 396 be suspended to enable strangers to be admitted when the select committee is examining witnesses unless the committee otherwise resolves, but they shall be excluded when the committee is deliberating

(Continued from 13 May 2015.)

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (17:02): I rise to give the government's view in relation to this motion. I urge those opposite to oppose the motion. The proposed select committee would duplicate work that has already been undertaken. The motion proposes that the select committee inquire and report on whether the objectives of Skills for All have been met. We already know the answer; we know that Skills for All did meet the objective of increasing the number of South Australians with post-school qualifications and that Skills for All resulted in an additional 100,000 training places in three years, and we know that there was a significant increase in the number of certificates II, III and IV issued.

We now have a more skilled workforce. We know that participation in training improved in both metropolitan and regional South Australia, and we know that Skills for All in regions was successful in assisting unemployed people to access training assistance and ultimately a job. But we also know that there was room for improvement. We know that the once-off additional injection of funds which resulted in 100,000 training places is not sustainable. We know there is a need to better target training, to better align it to industry demands and potential job outcomes in growth industries and emerging industries.

We know that some employers and individuals accessed government funded training when, in the past, they had funded this training themselves. The aim of the increased co-contribution between employers, students and government actually resulted in a large cost shift to government by employers and individuals. We know that the completion rates need to be improved, albeit that in South Australia the completion rates are one of the highest in all the Australian jurisdictions. We know that there is a need for greater linkages between training and job opportunities.

We know the answers to this question because extensive reviews have already been conducted, both internally and externally; reviews that are publicly released and readily available on the internet. This includes but is not limited to the ACIL Allen Consulting Evaluation into Skills for All, the Red Tape Reduction Review, the internal evaluations of Skills for All, graduate surveys and student surveys, and independent evaluations of Skills for All courses, including aged care, hospitality and disability. The Training and Skills Commission also regularly reviews VET policy, including consulting with employers, industry and stakeholders. They also produce reports that include forecasts of industry demand.

As a government, we have been transparent in relation to the funding of training in South Australia, to TAFE SA and private providers. We have also been transparent in relation to the outcome of publicly subsidised training. We have taken into consideration the recommendations of these reviews and reports and have acted on them. This is why we have released a new training skills and employment policy, WorkReady.

WorkReady repositions our training, employment and skills activity and investment. We have done this to ensure it is financially sustainable in the long term. It will support economic priorities and deliver skilled labour to our economy. The new policy focuses on measurable outcomes, with stronger connections between training, skills development and jobs, and a commitment to improved qualification completions.

Stronger up-front assessment of each individual's needs means that the government's investment will be focused on connecting individuals to the training and support best suited to them. This will stop unnecessary training. Training and skills development linked to job outcomes will be prioritised, particularly where there is a job commitment from an employer. We also expect to see increased co-investment, with the cost of qualifications shared between government, employers and individuals.

The breadth of courses subsidised by government will be streamlined so that training is targeted more directly to the areas which lead to jobs and which will provide a return on the government's investment. The Independent Training and Skills Commission will continue to provide feedback to the Department of State Development following consultation with the government. The government will also regularly consult with employers, unions and others to ensure that the WorkReady program meets the needs of government. I strongly urge members to oppose this motion, and I also point out that government members have taken the position that they will not participate in this committee.