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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-05-12 Daily Xml
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APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM

Mr KENYON (Newland) (14:21): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. What is the government doing to support jobseekers to gain an apprenticeship or traineeship in skills shortage areas?

An honourable member: You said this on the radio this morning.

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:21): No, I did not. I do not know what you were listening to, probably inner voices, and none of them making terribly much sense.

I thank the member for Newland for the question. Today I would like to apprise the house of the pre-apprenticeship and traineeship program which first commenced as a pilot project in 2005 in response to the shortage of skilled tradespeople in South Australia. Over the 2006-08 period, the program engaged over 175 participants, with 70 per cent of those gaining employment in a skills shortage area at the cessation of their training.

I am pleased to announce today that eight registered training organisations across the state will share in $715,000 of state government funding over the next two years to help another large group of young people gain the skills to assist them to enter into an apprenticeship or a traineeship. The program aims to assist up to 180 job seekers by delivering pre-apprenticeship or pre-traineeship training in areas identified as experiencing skills shortages.

The pre-apprenticeship and traineeship program will be delivered across 12 pre-apprenticeship courses with a minimum of 15 people in each course. Training will be delivered in areas of construction, engineering, electrical and plumbing, and will now also include community services, and child, aged and disability care.

Work placements are also offered as part of the program and are seen as a vital component in increasing the knowledge base and skills of participants while also providing reference and context to the learning already undertaken. Along with at least 370 hours of accredited training being delivered, participants will also benefit from support and mentoring to ensure foundational skills are obtained for a successful transition into an apprenticeship or high level traineeship.

The timing of the program aligns extremely well with the federal government's Nation Building and Jobs Plan, which members may be aware is rolling out a whole range of educational infrastructure through our primary and high schools. The federal government initiative aims to provide economic stability and support, up to 90,000 jobs nationally, many of them in the construction sector.

The pre-apprenticeship and traineeship program is yet another example of the government's commitment to assisting our young people obtain employment and VET qualifications while concurrently addressing skills shortages in the state's economy.

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