- Message from the CEO
- Today’s Skills: Tomorrow’s Leaders program to return in 2021
- Skills ministers look at further ways to support apprentices
- JobTrainer welcome but more support needed
- New Indigenous job and training program open to GTOs
- Apprentice and trainee re-engagement register helping to save jobs
- Indigenous designs to lift the spirits
- Higher level apprenticeships being trialed
- New members for NAEN
- Shergold review calls for more VET focus in schools
- Five hundred apprentice sign-ups for Queensland field officer
- New board director for NAEN
- Productivity Commission urged to tread carefully with apprentice incentives
- Events diary
|
|
Message from the CEO
It’s another historic week as Australia ramps up to fight COVID-19’s second wave, with Metropolitan Melbourne commencing stage four lockdowns and 8 pm curfews this week, joined by regional Victoria now into stage three restrictions. NSW is bracing as it holds off hot spots with meticulous tracing, and Queensland and South Australia continue to stamp out any signs of flare ups. Thankfully Western Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, and Tasmania are all holding up, but we are all affected regardless of where we are located.
Victoria is a quarter of our economy and the Seaport of Melbourne is renowned as the most important maritime trade hub in the country and one of the four largest container ports in the southern hemisphere. South East Melbourne alone has  11,000 manufacturers, so there is no doubt that all states and territories will be challenged by impacts of stage four. NAEN’s national group training network is primarily concerned for the health and wellbeing of our both our GTO colleagues in Victoria and their apprentices and trainees who would be eager to get back to work. With only 25 per cent of workers allowed on large construction sites, and a maximum of five on smaller projects, we expect significant handbacks and suspensions of construction apprentices as a result. The construction sector will be under immense pressure at this time.
As the national voice for all GTOs and their apprentices, NAEN’s role is to ensure that the Commonwealth clearly understands the value of group training organisations and our role in this crisis. We particularly extend an invitation to GTOs in Victoria to reach out to the national network to share your stories and concerns over this critical period, so that we can do more through our unified voice.
NAEN and all State and Territory Apprentice Employment Networks are receiving thanks from the Commonwealth for providing weekly statistics on suspensions, cancellations and handbacks of apprentices and trainees since mid-March. At last count, there were 1,835 suspensions, 657 cancellations, and 2,811 handbacks – a total of 5,303 apprentices and trainees displaced because of the pandemic – almost a quarter of all group training apprentices and trainees. NAEN continues to promote our national apprentice and trainee re-engagement register to those displaced. This online portal is funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Skills, and many GTOs are now using it as a source of recruitment and vacancy advertisements. Be sure to keep a check on our NAEN Facebook and LinkedIn pages for updates on this register.
This edition of our newsletter has a host of stories, reflecting the busy work of our national team. We are particularly excited to announce a refreshed Today’s Tomorrow’s Leaders Program, and to announce that funding through NAEN is available nationally for the recruitment of eligible Indigenous participants into the Community Services Program.
We welcome two new members to NAEN, Apprenticeship Careers Australia, and Statewide Group Training SA. Our renewals of membership are being sent to all members this week, and I invite any GTO thinking about national membership to pick up the phone and chat about how we can work together, particularly during this time when connections are so important.
Stay safe and please reach out to NAEN anytime and let us know how you are managing.
Dianne Dayhew
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
Today’s Skills: Tomorrow’s Leaders program to return in 2021
The prestigious group training apprentice and trainee professional development program – Today’s Skills: Tomorrow’s Leaders – is set to return under a partnership between NAEN and the National Careers Institute.
TSTL will resume early next year, with 22 group training apprentices and trainees to participate, along with three participants from the Australian Training Awards.
The week-long residential program ran from 2004 to 2016 at the Australian Institute of Sport and saw more than 240 outstanding group training apprentices and trainees hone their leadership and self-management skills under expert professional guidance.
Past participants have won Australian Apprentice of the Year and Australian Trainee of the Year at the Australian Training Awards, have joined forums such as the such as the Australian Apprenticeships Roundtable, and become Australian Apprenticeships Ambassadors.
The program will be open to all apprentices and trainees from NAEN-member GTOs. There will be a selection process commencing shortly.
It is expected that the program will follow a similar format to the past, with a five-day residential program in Canberra, supplemented by a visit to Parliament House and meetings with MPs and ministers. The Patron of NAEN, Governor-General, His Excellency General David Hurley will be invited to formally launch the program at Government House.
|
|
Skills ministers look at further ways to support apprentices
National skills ministers have agreed to examine further steps to improve apprentice commencements, retention and re-engagement.
Commonwealth, state and territory ministers met on July 31 and considered the progress made by the working group of senior officials to understand the impacts of COVID-19 on apprenticeships and traineeships.
“Ministers noted that whilst there has been an increase in suspensions since the onset of COVID-19, there has been a decrease in cancellations and withdrawals compared to the same period in 2019,” the Communique said.
“Members acknowledged the importance of providing support to those apprentices and trainees most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, in areas such as hairdressing, automotive, hospitality, tourism. Information from stakeholders suggests that construction is likely to be significantly impacted over the coming months.
“Skills Ministers tasked the Skills Senior Officials’ Network to identify gaps in service delivery for impacted apprentices and trainees, and to provide advice on how we might increase new commencements, retention and reengagement of apprentices and trainees for consideration at the next meeting,” it said.
|
|
JobTrainer welcome but more support needed
NAEN welcomed the federal government’s $2 billion skills package, JobTrainer, that extends apprentice wage support and will create 340,000 training places.
The package includes $1.5 billion to expand the apprentice wage subsidy to medium sized businesses with less than 200 employees for apprentices employed at 1 July 2020.
It also extends the wage subsidy by six months to March 2021, effectively supporting around 180,000 apprentices and 90,000 small and medium businesses that employ them.
The initiative covers 50 per cent of the wages paid to apprentices and trainees, up to $7,000 per quarter.
NAEN called for additional measures to stimulate apprentice commencements, increase the level of wage support and set quotas for apprentices and trainees on all Commonwealth funded projects.
The proposals are in NAEN’s policy paper, Dealing with the Apprenticeship Emergency, based on feedback from member GTOs and provided to the federal government.
See media coverage of the NAEN paper in the Sydney Morning Herald & The Age and hear CEO Dianne Dayhew discuss it on the ABC TV News channel.
|
|
New Indigenous job and training program open to GTOs
GTOs that are interested in participating in a new Indigenous employment and training program now have the chance to register their interest.
NAEN is pleased to announce that funding is available for the recruitment of Indigenous participants into the Community Services Program – Aged Care, Disability and Child Care.
This is a Commonwealth program, managed by the National Indigenous Australians Agency and brokered through NAEN to the group training network.
Importantly, the program is now open to all GTOs nationwide but members of NAEN will receive prioritised access to higher level funding support
The program supports Indigenous people in the Child Care or Aged Care sectors for:
- CHC30113 – Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
- CHC40113 – Certificate IV in School Age Education and Care
- CHC50113 – Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
- CHC33015 – Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)
- CHC43015 – Certificate IV in Ageing Support
- CHC43115 – Certificate IV in Disability
The recruitment period for all training and employment participants is open until 31 December 2020.
For more information and to express your interest, please contact NAEN on 02 9299 6099 or info@naen.com.au
There was a very high level interest among the group training network in the Indigenous Tailored Assistance Program being delivered through NAEN. Recruitment is now underway to get Indigenous candidates into work and training.
|
|
Apprentice and trainee re-engagement register helping to save jobs
The NAEN Apprentice and Trainee Re-engagement Register is a targeted national response to support displaced apprentices and trainees from small businesses who lost their jobs due to COVID-19. The register was announced by the federal government in the initial economic stimulus package.
It offers apprentices and trainees who were in a training contract with a small business (fewer than 20 employees) at 1 March 2020 the opportunity to register and upload details such as qualifications, work experience and resumes.
Employers of any size, including GTOs can post vacancies. When re-commencing an apprentice or trainee, employers may be eligible to receive a 50 per cent wage subsidy under the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees measure.
NAEN is working closely with stakeholders to retain as many apprentices and trainees as possible, and help them to recommence work so that they finish their qualifications.
If your GTO has cancelled apprentice training contracts - we would welcome you notifying the cancelled apprentices or trainees about the Register. There is an attached one-page flyer to assist with this.
(Please note apprentices and trainees who are from medium sized businesses are not being turned away from the register).
We acknowledge that some states and territories have their own out-of-trade registers, however, this national register is another avenue for displaced apprentices and trainees to connect to potential employers.
If there are managers within your organisation who you would like us to share information with (eg, potential candidates currently on the register) can you please forward their email details to support@naen.com.au.
And please use the register to post any vacancies for out-of-trade apprentices. If you require assistance to log-in, or to post a vacancy please contact us and we would be happy to assist you.
See the information flyer.
|
|
Indigenous designs to lift the spirits
NAEN is soon to unveil a host of fresh corporate themes and designs that have been developed by brilliant young Indigenous artist, Rhonda Sampson.
Rhonda was asked to take a look at the organisation’s artwork, particularly in association with the recent contract with the National Indigenous Australians Agency to place 450 Indigenous people into traineeships, apprenticeships and direct employment.
Rhonda is a proud Kamilaroi woman who specialises in Aboriginal graphic design and has worked with organisations including Youth Off The Streets, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, One Door Mental Health, and South Western Sydney Local Health District.
It was only last year that Rhonda completed her Diploma in Graphic Design with TAFE NSW but already she is making a big impact.
In June, Rhonda was announced the winner of the Southern and South Western Sydney Training Awards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander of the Year at the prestigious Training Services NSW event.
You can see some of Rhonda’s works on her Instagram account. And, look forward to some of her stunning designs on NAEN’s materials in the coming weeks.
|
|
Higher level apprenticeships being trialed
A pilot program for new higher level apprenticeships is being undertaken by the Queensland government, in partnership with TAFE Queensland and AiGroup.
It will see 40 students undertake a Diploma of Applied Technologies that combines a traditional apprenticeship with cutting-edge skills in Industry 4.0.
Western Australia may also be about to look at a new model of apprenticeships, following the release of the Review of Skills, Training and Workforce Development.
The review recommends radical reforms to the apprenticeship system, including “dual and combo trades”, and shortened apprenticeships in non-licensed trades.
“Many industries including resource, agriculture, defence and civil construction are seeing the need for highly skilled individuals with skills crossing two or more traditional trades,” the review said.
It recommends new apprenticeships in civil plant operations, truck driving, rail and civil infrastructure, operator and maintainer roles in big industry, and maintenance of autonomous vehicles and equipment.
|
|
New members for NAEN
NAEN is delighted to welcome new members into the national group training network.
Statewide Group Training
Statewide Group Traini ng (SA) is an independent, community-based not for profit organisation that has been servicing the employment and training needs of apprentices and trainees, business and industry since 1988.
Statewide's sites and local staff cover the Spencer Gulf, Port Lincoln and the West Coast, Mid North & Yorke Peninsula, Clare and Barossa Valley, Riverland, Murraylands, South East, Fleurieu Peninsula including Kangaroo Island, Adelaide Hills and Adelaide Metro.
To CEO Kym Anderson and all of the Statewide staff, welcome to the national network!
Apprenticeship Careers Australia
Apprenticeship Careers Australia was established in 2011, originally under the name Extrastaff  Apprenticeships.
It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Australian Business Solutions Group, the commercial division of NSW Business Chamber and works across a diverse range of industries in NSW, ACT and Queensland..
NAN welcomes CEO Luke Radford and the team from Apprenticeship Careers Australia.
|
|
Shergold review calls for more VET focus in schools
Apprenticeships should be afforded greater priority in high schools so that students have a more realistic view of job choices, the report of the Shergold review into senior secondary pathways has recommended.
The review says that many Year 10 students are being required to make inflexible choices between an academic stream or a vocational stream.
It says that apprenticeships are highly suited to many students and provide nationally recognised qualifications and good employment outcomes.
“However, apprenticeships are being overlooked by many young people due to the stigma associated with VET, and the negative perceptions formed about vocational pathways in early high school,” the report says.
It says the reliance on the ATAR should be diminished and recommends a Learner Profile – a broader measure which reflects a student’s skills, knowledge and experience, both in school and outside.
It urges the creation of a digital Education Passport for lifelong learning to allow young people to capture their education and training qualifications and workplace experience.
|
|
Five hundred apprentice sign-ups for Queensland field officer
Michael Szakowski, a field officer with East Coast Apprenticeships has achieved an outstanding milestone, having signed up 500 apprentices and trainees.
Michael’s efforts were recognised by East Coast, noting that over 10 years as a field officer, he has worked diligently and not wavered from a pledge to support young and not-so-young Queenslanders with rewarding careers and giving them “the dignity of work".
Congratulations Michael on this outstanding achievement!
|
|
|
|
Five hundred commencements: Michael Szakowski, second from right, with his colleagues.
|
|
New board director for NAEN
NAEN is delighted to welcome its newest board Director, David Fagan, CEO of TasBGAS (Tasmanian Building Group Apprenticeships Scheme).
David is the state-appointed Director for Tasmania. He replaces Geoff Fader who stood down as Executive Officer of Group Training Australia (Tasmania) in March.
The NAEN board consists of one state-appointed director for each state/territory association that appoints a director, and five member-elected directors.
David is a very experienced GTO senior executive and has played a key role in recent months in providing a crucial link between the national network and Tasmanian GTOs during the COVID crisis.
It is a great pleasure to welcome David to the NAEN board.
|
|
Productivity Commission urged to tread carefully with apprentice incentives
NAEN has made a submission to the Productivity Commission following the release of its recent Interim Report into the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development.
NAEN's submission addressed the section of the report dealing with apprenticeships and apprentice support, including issues such as employer incentives, barriers to the uptake of apprenticeships, training levies, and proposals for streamlining apprenticeship information and support.
The submission supported the the Commission's finding that apprentice incentive payments should be simplified and streamlined.
"But, NAEN contests any suggestion that government incentive payments be wound back or dismantled on the grounds that they do not serve to attract, retain or lead to the completion of apprentices and trainees," the submission said.
The NAEN submission is available here
|
|
EVENTS DIARY
National Skills Week 2020
Commencing 24 August 2020
See details
Australian Training Awards
20 November 2020
Melbourne
More information
AENWA 2020 Awards of Excellence
27 November 2020
Burswood on Swan, Perth WA
More information
Worldskills Australia
28 April - 2 May 2021
Perth Exhibition and Convention Centre
More information
|
|
|
|
|
