Almost 2,000 workers in South Australia will have the chance to upgrade their skills and gain higher level qualifications across a range of occupations.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, and State Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Paul Caica, today announced that a Commonwealth/State package of $14.1 million is being made available in South Australia to deliver the Productivity Program for Existing Workers, of which $5.64 million is being contributed by the SA Government.
The collaborative program, which also requires an industry contribution of at least 10 per cent, is part of the Australian Government’s Skilling Australia for the Future initiative and is designed to raise the skill level of people already in the workforce to address the skill demands placed on industry sectors.
Minister Caica says that in a 6-month pilot program being undertaken in SA, up to 1,880 qualifications will be on offer across a range of industries, including key sectors such as health and community services, agriculture, engineering, mineral exploration and defence.
"The new training places will lead to high-level nationally endorsed qualifications, primarily at the Certificate IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels and represents vital growth for the VET sector to up-skill South Australian workers in qualifications needed by industry," he said.
"Industry is demanding highly skilled workers and this program will support employers to help loyal workers gain the high level skills required to take their business to the next level."
Minister Caica said it was important that industry and employers took advantage of this new funding to address their skills in demand and apply for the funding to secure new training places.
"Funding will be allocated through a contestable grants process, with employers, industry bodies, enterprises and Registered Training Organisations now being invited to apply for the funds to train existing workers under the program, with proposals being required to target skills in demand."
"The 6-month pilot program being undertaken in South Australia will enable us to evaluate the key features of the program as the basis for a longer term National Partnership agreement.
The Productivity Places Program is part of the Australian Government’s Skilling Australia for the Future election commitment. The program will provide an additional 630 000 training places across the nation over the next five years to ensure that Australians develop the skills they need to be effective participants in, and contributors, to a modern labour market.
The Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology (DFEEST) will be responsible for the administration of the Productivity Places Program for Existing Workers funding within South Australia, and also for the administration of job seeker places from 1 January 2009.
For further information on the Productivity Places Program in South Australia, telephone (08) 8207 8767 or see online information via www.dfeest.sa.gov.au/ppp.