|
|
|
AEN Newsletter - 23 May 2025
Coaching & Mentoring for Growth
|
|
Trade & Tech Fit Career Expo
|
Adopting Mindful Living & Working
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based on data, VRQA will focus on the below areas in 2025–26:
|
Driving voluntary compliance
VRQA will help employers meet their obligations by running awareness campaigns and working with other regulators. The organisation will also ensure information is easy for apprentices, trainees, and their employers to find and understand.
|
New employers
VRQA will visit new employers to help them understand their obligations to apprentices and trainees. Ensuring they are meeting these obligations.
|
Employers with poor outcomes
Some employers have a high number of apprentices and trainees who don’t finish their training. VRQA will investigate these cases to see if the problem is due to workplace conditions or low-quality training.
|
Memorandum of Understanding with WorkSafe Victoria
A new agreement with WorkSafe will ensure VRQA will share information about incidents involving apprentices and trainees. This will help to act quickly to prevent harm.
|
Enduring priorities
VRQA will always prioritise preventing the most serious types of harm. These are:
|
- injury or death
- poor quality workplace experiences
- exploitation and mistreatment
- insufficient learning and progress.
|
|
|
|
|
Victorian State Budget 2025/26
|
|
|
Key Budget announcements:
|
- $320 million to make public transport free for Victorians under 18 every day, and for seniors every weekend across our state
- $18 million to enable pharmacists to treat more Victorians
- $50 million to deliver a new $100 Power Saving Bonus for Victorians
- $859 million to continue Free Kinder
- $152 million to increase support for families to pay for camps, sports and excursions
- $15 million to deliver more than 65 000 extra Get Active Kids vouchers from 2025 26
- $900 million in further new cost of living relief
- $11.1 billion to make sure Victorians can rely on great healthcare, including opening nine new or expanded hospitals
- $727 million to switch on the Metro Tunnel
- $976 million to fix and resurface our roads in 2025-26
- $4.1 billion for the new Sunshine Station Transport Superhub, in partnership with the Commonwealth Government – the essential first step in delivering Airport Rail
- $2.7 billion to give our kids a great education, including building new classrooms and supporting our teachers
- $1.6 billion to strengthen our justice system and keep communities safe, including $727 million to build a new prison.
Skills / TAFE and VET
An additional $459 million will make sure Victorians have the right skills for the opportunities of the future. This includes:
|
- $171 million to meet training and skills demand, including providing up to 20 000 Victorians with the opportunity to develop new skills or retrain through Free TAFE
$121 million for the TAFE services fund, including asset maintenance and support for TAFE students
- $44 million will create 9 600 more student places in digital literacy and employability skills training at Learn Local providers, and 8 000 additional student places a year in literacy and numeracy programs at TAFEs,
- $23 million to strengthen the apprenticeship system and help apprentices and trainees to complete their training
- $18 million to pilot Aboriginal Community Controlled vocational education and training models, to improve completion rates and grow the First Nations VET workforce
- $9.3 million to provide scholarships and more professional development opportunities for TAFE and Adult Education teachers
- $27 million to support better vocational education for school students, including Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordinators at every government secondary school. This investment will strengthen vocational learning opportunities and help school leavers find the right TAFE course, apprenticeship, or job that suits
Overall VET budget to remain steady at $2.502b. (Department performance papers - page 78, 95- 96)
|
Support for SMEs
A $150 million Victorian Investment Fund will grow the sectors that are important to our state’s future. A dedicated $50 million regional stream will make sure that our economic growth and good secure jobs reach every corner of our state.
|
The $3 million Small Business Toolkits Program will also support small businesses with advice and capability building, including localised workshops, live webinars, one-on-one confidential business advice and self-guided learning. And the new $1 million Boosting Business Skills Mentoring program will help up to 1,000 small business owners in priority sectors with dedicated mentoring from an experienced professional.
|
Government Outlook & Forecasts
Unemployment rate to remain between 4.5 – 4.75% over the next 3 years
CPI to remain steady at 2.5 – 2.75% over the next 3 years
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation.
|
The theme for 2025 is "Bridging Now to Next," inviting reflection on our shared past and collaboration towards a united future.
|
This week encourages participation in various activities to promote understanding and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
|
About the theme
The National Reconciliation Week (NRW) 2025 theme, Bridging Now to Next, reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future.
|
Bridging Now to Next calls on all Australians to step forward together, to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us.
|
In the #NRW2025 theme artwork created by Kalkadoon woman Bree Buttenshaw, native plants which are known for regenerating after fire and thriving through adversity symbolise the collective strength and the possibilities of renewal. This is a time for growth, reflection, and commitment to walking together.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tips from AustralianSuper for this EOFY
The end of the financial year is almost here, AustralianSuper explains what making extra payments means for your super, including how you could potentially save on tax.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The NFP Scholarship provides governance education to new and aspiring NFP directors seeking to deepen their understanding of directorship so they can give even more to the communities they serve.
|
Up to 375 scholarships are available for emerging NFP leaders across Australia.
|
Each scholarship covers 100% of the cost of the AICD’s facilitator-led course, Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors.
|
Travel and accommodation costs are not included.
|
Applications Open - Monday 12 May
|
Scholarship Value - Up to $1,800
|
Course - Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors
|
|
Course Duration - 1.5 days
|
|
|
|
|
|
Do you know an individual or organisation making outstanding contributions to Australia's vocational education and training (VET) and skills sector?
|
|
The Australian Training Awards are the peak national awards that showcase best practice in VET.
|
|
|
|
Finalists will compete for a national title alongside State and Territory Training Award winners at the Australian Training Awards gala event later this year.
|
Nominations close Saturday 31 May.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal Budget 2025-26 Update
|
This year’s Federal Budget was aimed at cost-of-living relief and boosts to health funding and Medicare, housing and education. The main super-related announcement was an Australian Taxation Office (ATO) measure designed to strengthen compliance with super laws. Here’s a summary, plus previous announcements about changes to super coming into effect soon.
|
|
|
|
|
The government committed $50 million to fund an ATO Tax Integrity Program to strengthen employer compliance with super obligations. It aims to give employees an estimated $31 million in unpaid superannuation over the next 5 years.
|
The Super Guarantee (SG) will increase from 11.5% to 12% from 1 July 2025. The SG is the percentage of your wage that your employer must pay into your super account.
|
|
Payday super is scheduled to start on 1 July 2026. This will mean employers will need to pay their employees’ super at the same time as salary and wages.
|
The government-funded Paid Parental Leave (PPL) will also begin on 1 July 2025. And from 1 July 2026, payments will be made directly to individuals' super funds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In today’s fast-paced work environment, effective coaching and mentoring are essential for managers, supervisors, team leaders, and field officers. By facilitating meaningful conversations with purpose and poise, they can unlock new horizons for their mentees and foster growth in individuals and teams to boost performance and create a strong foundation for future leadership.
|
In this engaging workshop, award-winning facilitator Martin Probst will equip you with the essential tools and strategies to confidently coach, mentor, and guide others toward long-term success.
|
Date: Wednesday 28 May 2025
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Delivery: ONLINE ONLY
|
Uncover how living in the moment builds a richer and more meaningful life, career, and relationships. Explore how to be more present and purposeful in your decisions and actions, rather than reactive or on autopilot.
|
In this interactive session, led by Martin Probst, a leading expert in human-centred leadership, we will explore how ‘stepping back’ and ‘stepping into’ experiences can open your mind to curiosity, creativity, and effectiveness.
|
Date: Wednesday 18 June 2025
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Delivery: In Person ONLY
|
Successful individuals understand that their network is their net worth and that extraordinary outcomes are achieved through strong relationships and collaboration. By establishing interpersonal connections, we build the foundation for success.
|
This interactive session, led by award-winning facilitator Martin Probst, will deepen your understanding of professional networking and boost your confidence to connect and build robust relationships. You’ll learn how to leverage your network to enhance growth and create win-win opportunities.
|
Date: Wednesday 9 July 2025
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Delivery: In Person ONLY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Since the program commenced in May 2020, a total of 1,318 participants have been supported to date, with 82% being male and 18% female.
|
|
|
|
For Individuals
Apprentices and trainees who have lost employment are encouraged to register.
|
|
Once registered, apprentices and trainees will be assisted by one of our program officers until placed with a host employer through a Group Training Organisation (GTO), or directly with an employer.
|
|
For Businesses
If you have an apprenticeship position you would like to fill, please contact the AEN Office so we can forward potential candidates that meet your criteria.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Head on over to GAN Australia and subscribe to the newsletter to be kept up to date with everything that’s happening with GAN Australia and the wider VET sector?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks to our Industry Partners
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
