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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-12-09 Daily Xml
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WorkReady

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:30): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question about training and employment.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.T. NGO: We know that successful employment relies on matching people to the right jobs and supporting them to ensure that they have the skills to succeed. My question is: can the minister tell the chamber about recent announcements in relation to WorkReady, the government's education and training policy?

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) (14:31): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Members in this chamber will be aware of the state government's new skills and employment initiative, WorkReady, which I have already been speaking about today. The state government's new skills and employment initiative, which was launched on 1 July this year, will help ensure that training investment is targeted to meet the skill needs of strategic industry opportunities.

Today, I was very pleased to announce a boost of nearly $8 million ($7.9 million, to be exact) in additional funding for the training sector—a boost that will greatly benefit particularly private training providers in South Australia to help them deliver more training and employment services. Up to 1,500 people are expected to obtain jobs, supported by 2,600 new training places that this money will help fund over the next two financial years.

When WorkReady was introduced in July, the majority of training places funded through the Subsidised Training List, as we are all aware, were allocated mainly to TAFE, while private providers were able to apply for funding rounds through Jobs First. We did this at the time because we needed to ensure that TAFE was supported to become more sustainable and to help it transition through the significant reforms ahead of it, and it needed to become a more competitive system, as well.

As I have indicated before, more new subsidised training places will be progressively offered on a competitive basis between TAFE and private providers as WorkReady is implemented, and I am very pleased that the state government has been able to reprofile this funding over the next two years specifically to benefit private providers. This brings the total number of new training places for private providers in 2015-16 to more than 10,000—double the number of new places released at the start of this year, so it is a very pleasing outcome indeed.

I am also pleased to report that, through Jobs First funding arrangements, we have committed $6.4 million over two years for 2,250 new training places and other support services offered through Jobs First STL Projects and also Jobs First Employment Projects. Members will recall that the Jobs First element of WorkReady funds training courses and employment projects where there is a direct connection to a job.

Jobs First is submission based, with projects delivered through WorkReady providers who have a track record of quality outcomes, links to jobs and strong industry connections and also a track record of good completion rates. Projects have agreed targets for completions and transitions to jobs.

Focus areas include aged care, disability, early childhood care and construction, but training in other areas will be supported where there is a direct link to a job. There's also $1.5 million over two years for 350 training places with private providers for selected high value traineeships with a training contract offered through the subsidised training list. We really value the importance of being able to roll those out. These places will be available to private training providers on a competitive basis, where a contract of training has been entered into. These high value traineeships with a training contract include courses in agriculture and horticulture, health support services, printing and graphic arts, and also telecommunications.

I would also like to take this opportunity to update the chamber on the work that the Training and Skills Commission (TASC) has been doing. Yesterday, the commission released to industry an interim report that identifies industry priority qualifications. It is this body of work that will assist to guide the development of training that the government subsidises in the future. South Australia has all the elements and resources necessary to create the high skills, high value economy identified by our economic priorities.

I have to congratulate the Training and Skills Commission, particularly Adrian Smith, the former chair (he has had to stand down due to ill health) for the amazing work that they've done in relation to this report. It is a unique analysis. They underwent a rigorous process with industry stakeholders to provide this report. It is quite unique. Other states are looking at it with great interest. We are providing real leadership in terms of really understanding the qualifications that industry needs to be able to advance their businesses and improve productivity.

WorkReady will ensure that South Australia is put in the best position in the future by having the skilled workforce that is needed and specifically focuses on improving the link between skill development and job opportunities. I thank the member for his question and again congratulate TASC for their remarkable work.

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