Page 3626 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
CIT is a prime example of the benefits provided to the community when diverse sectors work together.
The ACT needs a range of accessible education and training programs offering new opportunities to adults at all stages of their life, including those re-entering the workforce and those adjusting to changed circumstances, as well as those who may come straight from school and those who have been engaged in vocational education programs within schools. That has been a great development that has been occurring over some years now where many students are able to do a certificate I or II or whatever it is in the schools and then are able to move on to further training.
Further work needs to be done to improve transitions between the primary, secondary, tertiary and higher education systems and to support greater planning and coordination of education and training programs across the sectors. But, as I have said, I have given an example where I think some good work has been done in that vocational, education and training area. Having been, along with Ms Porter, to a number of graduation nights for colleges in our electorate of Ginninderra, I know many of those students are taking up that opportunity to be able to come out with some sort of vocational certificate along with their year 12 certificate. That has given so many further options and pathways they can follow in their life beyond school.
I think there is a lot of opportunity with CIT. There are, as I said, some issues that still need to be fixed as far as the bullying claims and so forth are concerned. I think that is well underway, but we want to make it a safe workplace. We want to make it a workplace of choice for people to have a long and satisfying career in our CIT, because it is such an important part of our education offerings here in the ACT along with the University of Canberra, the Australian Catholic University, the Australian National University and so on. It really is key.
We are also seeing some great partnerships between CIT and, for instance, the University of Canberra. I would like to see further collaboration between all of these organisations. I congratulate the hardworking staff over at the CIT. Of course, the Greens are very happy to support this budget allocation.
DR BOURKE (Ginninderra—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Corrections) (4.08): The Gallagher government has a vision of a fully integrated system of independent, excellent institutions that collectively offer world-standard vocational and higher education. Improving the capacity of training providers, the quality of skills programs, the information available to consumers on transitions between school, training and tertiary sectors remain a top priority for this government. Over the past few years, the ACT has pursued a deliberate and targeted agenda in the VET sector which has been backed by considerable investment beyond commonwealth funding agreements.
The ACT government also continues to fund guaranteed training places for 15 to 24-year-olds at the Canberra Institute of Technology. This investment has paid off. The ACT has a strong performing VET sector which ensures ACT residents can get the skills they require for employment. For example, the ACT has the highest proportion
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video