AusRAIL PLUS 2005 Conference and Exhibition 22/24 November 2005 How is the Australian Government addressing Skills Shortages? AusRAIL PLUS 2005 Conference and Exhibition 22/24 November 2005 Murray Kimber Branch Manager Industry Skills Development Group

What’s a “skill shortage” employers are unable to fill or have considerable difficulty in filling vacancies

… but is it this easy? Do we consider … number of qualified workers number who want to work hours they want to work specialist skills geographic location

VTE participants are diverse 8% of all Australian’s are VTE students VTE has 60% more students than universities 89.4% are enrolled part-time 3.5% of public VTE students were Indigenous Australians 3.6% of the VTE total were Overseas Students

77% of VTE participation is job- related New Apprentices labour market entrants job seekers self-employed career changers skill improvers personal developers basics bridgers 17% 4% 5% 14% 28% 5% 7% 9% 11% Employment 37% Self development 23% Career improvement 40%

VTE courses cover many industries

There is a range of VTE training providers Government providers Commercial training providers Adult and community education organisations Businesses Secondary schools

MORE JOBS NEED VTE SKILLS THAN UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATIONS Qualification Current profile of population Potential pathway for jobs % of population% of employment University VET No Tertiary

Australian Rail Industry Nationally accredited training Infrastructure and Operations

NEW APPRENTICESHIPS 382,400 in training Record Completions Some 40% of those in training are in ‘trades and related worker’ occupations 84% of those who completed their training at TAFE were satisfied with the overall quality of the training

How is the Government Addressing Skill Needs? Government acted decisively through a range of important measures in the DEST/DIMIA portfolios to boost the national skills system – $5 billion VTE Agreement – $1.4 billion in VTE Budget measures – $33 billion for schools – $11 billion boost for universities – 20,000 increase in skilled migration to 97,000, up from 24,100 in

COMMONWEALTH-STATE AGREEMENT Worth $5 billion over 2005 to 2008 Drive national priorities – Improve responsiveness – Deliver improved outcomes – Improve quality – Increase participation and up-skilling of mature age workers – Encouraging greater re-engagement

COMMONWEALTH-STATE AGREEMENT Increase participation through targets – 10,000 Skills Shortage New Apprenticeships – 10,000 Skills Shortages Other Occupations – 26,000 Mature Age – 10,000 People with a Disability – Additional places and increase outcomes for Indigenous Australians Bi-Lateral agreements – Apply priorities in local context

Budget Pre-vocational training in the trades Increased opportunities for school-based New Apprentices in the trades More places in the New Apprenticeships Access Programme Eliminating New Apprentice poaching

Budget More New Apprenticeships opportunities Increase support for New Apprentices Extend Youth Allowance to New Apprentices Australian Network of Industry Careers Advisors

Queanbeyan Lismore/Ballina Darwin Perth Adelaide Gosford Hunter Illawarra Dubbo Western Sydney Port Macquarie Northern Tasmania North Brisbane Gladstone Townsville Gold Coast Pilbara Whyalla/Port Augusta Geelong Warrnambool Bairnsdale/Sale East Melbourne Bendigo Sunshine Australian Technical Colleges: a multi-level approach

National Skills Shortages Strategy

Partnership between the Australian Government and peak industry groups, developing solutions to skill shortages particularly in traditional trades

National Skills Shortages Strategy Elements of the NSSS include: – Testing innovative training pathways including fast track New Apprenticeships and attracting alternative entrants to industry such as migrants and mature age; – Marketing industry to young people with modern careers materials; – Providing industry with better data for workforce planning

National Skills Shortages Strategy DEST is working with Transport and Distribution Training Australia to develop a web portal for the transport and logistics industry. It will assist potential entrants to the industry and employers with details of careers and training.