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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 9 Hansard (21 August) . . Page.. 2707 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

start while still at school through a program called school-based new apprenticeships. This is an area of rapid growth. Participation in the ACT has doubled just in the past year. A total of 68 RTOs have been approved to deliver new apprenticeships this year. Employees, apprentices and trainees are able to select from a total of 180 qualifications. Nationally, there are over 400 occupations to choose from.

It is important to stress that vocational education and training has been very much a bipartisan effort for the past six to 10 years, as a result of a national commitment across all state, territory and federal governments to harmonise and create a uniform national training system. This is essential not only to the ability of young people-indeed, all people-in the VET sector to have transportability of their skills across jurisdictions, but also for the health of the national economy overall. Indeed, the new apprenticeships program is considered to be a significant success story. For example, a 2002 survey of apprentices, trainees and their employers showed that 87 per cent of the apprentices and trainees were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of training.

The rate of participation in new apprenticeships in the ACT is growing. The number of apprentices and trainees commencing in the program during the 2002 March quarter was higher than those in previous years. In the March 2002 quarter the ACT had 1,490 commencements, compared with 1,350 in 2001 and 1,230 in 2000. Overall, participation by VET students represents 8.4 per cent of the working age population in the ACT.

Industry and training providers also play a very important role through group training arrangements which allow employers who may not be in a position to take on apprentices and trainees on a full-time basis to act as host employers. This is particularly important in the building industry. The ACT government has agreements with 10 group training organisations which employed, on average, 550 apprentices and trainees during 2001-02.

The issue for the future in the ACT is to focus on ensuring not only that VET is sustainable in the longer term but also that it continues to meet the needs of both industry and the people seeking training. Training must continue to be a tripartite responsibility of government, industry and those seeking the training. It cannot be allowed to sway too much one way or another. It must remain with those three bodies working together. Also, it should be seen not only as an area for the development and acknowledgment of practical skills and learning, but also as a way of continuing lifelong learning in the ACT.

The government will continue to focus on VET in the next six months or so in particular. I am looking forward to seeing the results of the inquiry by the committee chaired by Ms MacDonald and I thank her for her continuing interest in VET. VET has often been underestimated and underconsidered as part of political debate in the territory generally, but it is so important in giving people an opportunity to improve their skills and to recognise existing skills that perhaps do not have any particular qualification at this time. It is especially important for young people, particularly as a tool to engage young people in the learning process and to give some young people the opportunity to stay on and complete year 12 and then go on to further education and training.

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