Page 3627 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012
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in the nation of VET graduates, vocational education and training graduates, employed after completing training. In fact, 94 per cent of ACT students are employed and/or in further study after completing a vocational education and training course. The ACT also has the highest proportion in the nation of vocational education and training course completions at certificate III or higher.
The Canberra Institute of Technology is the largest registered training organisation and public provider of vocational education and training in the ACT and our region, offering over 400 courses, ranging from certificates, traineeships and apprenticeships through to diplomas and degrees. In 2011 CIT trained 22,981 people from 86 countries, with a team of just over 1,000 staff. A well-educated community is the basis of Canberra’s social and economic prosperity.
The government is committed to the public provision of vocational education and training and provides CIT with close to $70 million annually for agreed outputs as detailed in the statement of intent. The provision of vocational education and training through CIT is a central element in the ACT government’s commitment to provide the opportunity for Canberrans, regardless of their background, to gain the skills and knowledge to join the workforce and take part in our growing local economy.
CIT contributes to the public good by providing job-ready graduates to join the Canberra workforce. CIT also partners with the ACT government to address skill shortages in a range of programs and provides additional support to disadvantaged people in the community, through its year 12 program and its support to people with a disability. This is reflected in this year’s budget, with an additional $3.2 million over four years to fund the CIT year 12 program for students with a disability—two areas the government believes strongly in.
Recognising the complex needs of the ACT community, CIT runs a year 12 program that provides people with the opportunity to gain their full ACT year 12 certificate in an adult environment. The ACT government will support CIT to continue this important initiative by providing additional funds to support the ACT year 12 program. This forms part of the ACT youth commitment to increase the number of young people achieving year 12 and helps in ensuring no young person is lost from education, training or employment.
The program delivers both accredited and tertiary packages to younger and older students who have not achieved year 12 through traditional schooling. CIT is the only provider in the ACT offering an abridged year 12 program, programs for students beyond the normal college age or a program that can be completed in the evening. CIT is committed to providing open and excellent access to education to all those who need it, including people with a disability.
The Council of Australian Governments’ targets for participation require a focused effort on supporting people with disabilities to undertake training to equip them to be productive members of the ACT community. In the ACT approximately one-third of those working do not have a post-school qualification, and many of these people are people with disabilities.
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