Page 3761 - Week 10 - Thursday, 14 September 2017
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We took this position because the central importance of CIT in the ACT speaks to that level of priority being given to it. As Ms Fitzharris touched on, we have seen attacks on the vocational education sector in other jurisdictions, which I think have undermined the sector. We want to make sure that it remains strong here in the ACT and that government has an ability to play a role in ensuring that it delivers not just for economic reasons but for important social reasons. We also know and recognise that there are many small and medium sized private registered training organisations in the ACT who are doing fantastic things to engage students and provide them with solid skills. They are contributing positively to the overall economic prosperity of the territory.
VET offers adults the chance to upskill, retrain or try out a completely new career pathway. We often think of these things as being for young people. I certainly know of examples where people have set off on a career path and have either realised it is not for them or have simply been inspired by something else and have taken the opportunity to go back to, in this case, CIT in the ACT and retrain, and embark on a new pathway. I think that is a pretty gutsy thing to do partway through your life, especially once you have trained for something else. The fact that that opportunity is there is a real strength for our city.
Certainly, in today’s increasingly insecure work environment, and with growing underemployment and casualisation, it is entirely appropriate for a progressive government to support initiatives such as CIT. That point about insecurity is a very important one. I have framed my observations about people I know who have changed paths in a positive light, but there are, of course, those who are forced to change paths for reasons of job insecurity or underemployment. In that sense the CIT is an important part of the social safety net, and VET training generally, in terms of enabling people to retrain when circumstances might require it.
The ACT government provides direct support in the form of subsidies to these providers and to students to ensure that the great training opportunities are widely available. The government also promotes the learning capital concept and encourages new providers to enter our education and training system. Of course, there are, as is touched on in the topic of the matter of public importance today, benefits for the wider local economy from having a strong and vibrant VET sector.
It is also worth reflecting on the fact that there are direct financial benefits that will flow to students who have increased their employment prospects as a result of undertaking adult education. As I said before, undertaking adult education could be quite a daunting proposition. I also want to acknowledge the less tangible but nonetheless important social and personal benefits that flow from taking those opportunities.
Certainly, VET can offer students from a disadvantaged background a step up. It is a sometimes challenging environment, but with the right support and encouragement it can also be a life-changing experience that can grow self-esteem and have many positive impacts not only for the individuals but also for their families. You can get involved in a dry policy debate about the importance of VET and the economic
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