Vocational Education and Training

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (14:48): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question about training.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: I understand that earlier this morning the minister met with Mrs Caroline Graham and Mr Colin Cook, representing agriculture training providers in South Australia. During that meeting Mrs Graham and Mr Cook sought confirmation from her that the Australian school-based traineeship program, as well as the training guarantee for SACE students, will continue as of 1 July this year and for the next four years on a demand-driven basis for eligible school students, irrespective of the industry sector. My advice is that she did provide the confirmation sought.

My question is: will the minister again confirm, for the public record, that the Australian school-based traineeship program, as well as the training guarantee for SACE students, will continue as of 1 July this year and for the next four years on a demand-driven basis for all eligible school students, irrespective of the industry sector?

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) (14:49): We did spend quite a bit of time going through those issues with Ms Graham and Mr Cook this morning, and I did provide them with reassurance about the ongoing nature and commitment to those training activities.

The Hon. S.G. Wade: You couldn't tell us yesterday.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yes, I did. That is just nonsense, absolute nonsense

The PRESIDENT: There will be no interjections while the minister is answering the question.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: They say anything in this place

The PRESIDENT: Answer the question.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: This government wants young people to undertake further education or training to ensure that they gain a qualification to unlock good and viable careers. Young people do not have to leave school before completing SACE in order to start vocational education in industry areas of economic significance in this state. There are three ways through which school students can be subsidised to start a vocational pathway as part of their senior secondary education and have it counted towards a VET qualification; They are, through the Training Guarantee for SACE Students (TGSS), Australian School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (ASbA) and Innovative Community Action Networks (ICANs). These pathways were subsidised under Skills for All and will continue to be subsidised under WorkReady. This is information that I gave Ms Graham and Mr Cook.

The Training Guarantee for SACE Students (TGSS) scheme supports selected senior school students to commence certificate II or III courses as part of SACE and complete certificate III post-school with the same training providers. The School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship combines attendance at school with commencement of apprenticeship or traineeship with an employer. The training contributes towards SACE while the student commences a vocational career or trade. ICANs offers students who are 16 years and over who are disengaged from mainstream schooling and who are not likely to complete SACE the opportunity to commence a vocational pathway and enrol in a VET course.

Supporting school students to undertake training is clearly linked to the government's key strategic priority, particularly in relation to Every Chance for Every Child. Popular courses commenced by TGSS students are in early childhood education and care, hairdressing (which is very popular), automotive servicing technology, electronics, aged care, digital media and technology. In relation to WorkReady, TGSS (Training Guarantee for SACE Students) will continue to be supported under WorkReady. Under WorkReady, certificate II courses with the highest public value that are approved to be undertaken by TGSS students will continue to be fee free. Arrangements in relation to certificate IIIs will remain unchanged.

TGSS courses are clearly identified on the subsidised training list. Students can undertake TGSS courses either with TAFE SA or, in some cases, with private providers. Some of the examples on the subsidised training list include aged care, construction pathways, cert III in agriculture, cert II in construction, hairdressing, rural operations, engineering, electrotechnology—it's quite a lengthy list. That pretty comprehensively outlines what our commitment has been and what we continue to remain committed to under WorkReady.