Page 2627 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 October 1992
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These programs are in addition to the Commonwealth initiatives announced by the Prime Minister in July, which included an offer to all long-term unemployed youth of a six-month vocational training course with a Jobstart card on completion; the creation of a career start traineeship to target early school leavers; and the expansion of SkillShare and JobTrain with a link to a wage subsidy for a job beyond training. There is also the land care and environmental action program, offering young people employment experience in environmental and conservation projects. There will be a high level of coordination between this program and the ACT Youth Conservation Corps.
There are also increased subsidies for traineeships and extra support for apprenticeships; a further 12,000 pre-vocational training places nationally for TAFE in 1993; and funds for the development of the Australian vocational certificate recommended in the Carmichael report. The rapid implementation of these initiatives in the ACT is being carefully monitored by a high-level ACT Government task force. Funding has been made available through the job placement and employment training program for two years to link accommodation and personal support with supported job placement, structured training and work experience for young homeless people.
Madam Speaker, let me now turn to initiatives to help unemployed women. In the last two budgets there have been a number of initiatives aimed at assisting women who wish to enter or re-enter the work force. I am pleased to say that these initiatives are proving very successful. The Government's employment and training policies aim to create opportunities for women to equip themselves with the skills and experience necessary to successfully compete for jobs and to pursue their career choices. The Chief Minister is advised by the Women's Employment Advisory Committee, which has close links with the community and is well placed to advise on the priorities which women in the community themselves identify. Government initiatives for women include Jobskills, under which 370 long-term unemployed people will get paid work experience and training through the Commonwealth and ACT Government Jobskills program. Women will receive their share of these placements.
The employment and training grants program received an additional $120,000 in the budget. High priority for funding in 1992-93 was given to programs which assist women wishing to re-enter the work force. This is reflected in grants to Sistertrust to provide financial and mentoring support to assist low income women in choosing careers and participating in relevant study; to Caloola Farm to run pre-vocational training courses for women in Tuggeranong; to Caloola Farm and Tuggeranong Link to provide pre-vocational training through community houses in Tuggeranong; and to other organisations such as the Work Resources Centre and the Community Company for programs to assist those disadvantaged in the labour market, including women.
The women's work force development scheme is another initiative announced in the budget this year. It will provide 20 women with six months' work experience and training within the ACT Government Service and targets women over 30 years of age who have been out of work for over two years. The Government is sponsoring a major event on women's employment, education and training in November this year which will provide practical hands-on advice for women considering entering or re-entering the work force or changing career direction. Madam Speaker, I find it quite shocking that the Opposition can degrade such an initiative. When you speak to the women involved, it is that sort of care and mentoring that they need to get back into the work force in the first place.
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