Page 2154 - Week 06 - Thursday, 7 June 2018
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the VET sector and industry to increase female participation in traditionally male-dominated trades.
I launched the program alongside Leilani McGurgan, a second-year electrical apprentice employed by ACT Property Group. Leilani had a range of employment before taking up a trade and realising it was the perfect environment for her to be challenged, and the perfect opportunity for her to inspire other women to have a go and take up a trade.
The women in trades grants program was the fulfilment of a promise by this government to try to boost the number of female tradespeople and ensure young women are not discouraged from following an interest in historically male-dominated trades. I look forward to making announcements about the outcomes of the grants program shortly.
The government will continue to work with the Australian government to identify opportunities to increase and support apprenticeships and traineeships in the ACT. We are working to make sure ACT dollars go further, to create more apprenticeship pathways and work experience opportunities for young people in ACT schools, more support for registered training organisations in areas of skills shortage, and new higher apprenticeships in priority areas.
We need to make VET available for students who have a passion and talent but are not sure where to apply them. We also need to make sure students are exposed to the possibilities that vocational training provides to embark on long and satisfying careers. The ACT has a role to play in this, and endeavours to increase the number of apprentices employed across our diverse workforce. ACT VET projects are an affirmation of our belief that the chance to upskill or re-skill, and find yourself in a stimulating professional environment, is one that should be afforded to all individuals, regardless of age or gender.
Our successes on the national stage in recent years, through the Australian training awards, are a testament to the success of the ACT ecosystem in providing improved apprenticeship outcomes through quality training and appropriate support. In the past week a number of our male and female apprentices competed on the national stage, with more than 10 Australian apprentices representing the ACT at the national WorldSkills competition in Sydney. I am again looking forward to the ACT training awards later in the year, which will be another opportunity to celebrate the wonderful successes and achievements of ACT apprentices, trainees, employers and training organisations.
The government will continue to support apprenticeships and traineeships as a key part of our high quality VET sector, delivering skilled workers to meet industry needs in the ACT, now and into the future.
In closing, I will table some highlights of facts and figures on apprentices and trainees in the ACT which further demonstrate some of the successes in this important area. I present the following papers:
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