Apprenticeship Employment Network

AE News Volume 12, Issue 7

Friday, 8th March 2019
Hi Reader!
1457023190_Calendar

Upcoming Events

19 Mar - Managing Difficult Conversations
10 Apr - OHS Network Meeting
8 May - Mental Health in the Workplace
Click here for all upcoming events.

Annual Apprenticeship Luncheon & GAN

On Monday this week AEN hosted our Annual Apprenticeship Luncheon in Melbourne with over 130 guests from group training, TAFE, Industry, Government and other VET stakeholders.
075
159
The panel session covered a wide range of VET challenges including:

  • Attracting youth, parents and schools into apprenticeships
  • Improving completion rates for apprentices (50%)
  • Matching youth into current job vacancies and providing a career pathway
  • Supporting regional employers and communities to attract and retain their future workforce
  • Supporting employers and individuals with global technology and an aging workforce.

VET specific issues:
  • Youth are not provided the benefit of trailing various career opportunities with real life work experiences – poor understanding of VET
  • Competition with University pathways
  • Constant VET policy and funding changes
  • Duplication of short term incentives, programs and services creating confusion and complexity
  • Almost 45% of current trainees and apprentices are existing workers and over the age of 25.
  • Many employers utilise a casual employment model to support short term needs
As part of the luncheon AEN officially announced that it was part of the Global Apprenticeship Network - GAN.
GAN Australia Logo Landscape
GAN Australia will work towards the following aims:
  • Strengthen the commitment and visibility of companies’ and organisations’ engagement in apprenticeships as part of a sound human capital development strategy.
  • Share the best practices in the areas of apprenticeships, mentoring, on-the-job training and lifelong learning.
  • Encourage a network of committed companies and organisations, at the global and local levels, to support effective knowledge sharing action programmes and partnerships to scale up cooperation to this effect.
GAN Work Readiness Programmes
GAN Background

The GAN is an alliance with the overarching goal of encouraging and linking business initiatives on skills and employment opportunities for youth – notably through apprenticeships.

The GAN is a network where private sector companies, business federations and associations come together to share best practices, to advocate and to commit to action around youth employability and skills development.
The initiative is driven by business leaders, who use this global platform to promote apprenticeship programmes worldwide. They reach out in their respective countries and industries to mitigate the youth unemployment and skills mismatch crises.

Why Apprenticeships?
Work-readiness programmes include training for apprentices and trainees are key to create jobs for youth and skills for business:
  • ensures that trainings matches the needs within a company or industry
  • keeps up-to-date with changes in technology, work practices, and market dynamics
  • links classrooms and workplace training so that young people acquire relevant skills
  • equips young people with critically important core skills, such as problem solving, teamwork, and communication
  • offers young people an income while preparing for the job market
  • helps them clear the hurdle of having no job experience, a barrier that prevents many other graduates from securing their first job
Online expression of interest is available for people/organisations looking to participate in a national steering committee.

For further details on GAN, please visit gan.org and gan-australia.org or email: info@gan-australia.org.

Lifetime Achievement award – John Nathan

Lifetime John Nathan with MEGT
On Monday, AEN also acknowledged the outstanding efforts of John Nathan from MEGT with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

During the 1980s, John was employed in the Victorian Public Service in the Department of Labour and Industry. He was part of the team responsible for planning, devising and the implementation of Group Apprenticeships in Victoria.
John was a member of the TAFE board in the period leading to the establishment of the State Training Board and was involved in the administration of regulated apprenticeships and traineeships including the GTO program. Having been a member of the MEGT Board since 1997, it is considered that John is unique in Group Training in that he has had extensive experience in policy development and program implementation.

Congratulations to John and the team at MEGT.

Best Practice Guidelines – Youth Career Programs

The Youth Career Program Best Practice Guide has been developed from the experiences of the Apprenticeship Employment Network (AEN), Group Training Organisations (GTOs), Youth, Schools and Employers who have been involved in over 170 “multi industry” pilot programs during 2016-18.

These programs trialled various themes in industries supporting Apprenticeships and Traineeships including;
  • Engineering and Automotive
  • Building and Construction
  • Land, Food and Fibre
  • Business and Community Care Services.
Best Practice Guide Youth Career Programs Nov 2018 - Cover
Programs were developed to address issues including:
  • Assisting youth in making better informed career choices
  • Providing work ready candidates and recruitment support for Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s)
  • Improving non completion rates in Apprenticeships and Traineeships
Current data indicates that 42% of Apprentices and Trainees do not complete their contract of training and almost 30% cancel within the first 12 months. There are undoubtedly many reasons why an individual fails to complete their apprenticeship, however high levels of non-completion or attrition, especially within the first 12 months, indicate that many young people make the “wrong choice” at the beginning of their journey.

The programs trialled various methods to support participants through a range of industry experiences to assist young people make a more informed choice into further study or employment pathways in vocational (apprenticeship) industries.
Key aspects of the programs included:
  • Hands-on experience and knowledge sharing in multiple industries and occupations
  • Collaborative relationships between program stakeholders of youth career pathway
  • Supporting youth to make informed decisions to enter a vocational career pathway and to gain and complete an apprenticeship or traineeship for those who choose this pathway
  • Exploring 3-4 trade/industry areas and understanding the career needs in regards to:
    • Numeracy, language and literacy skills
    • Workplace readiness - understanding employer expectations
    • Sustainability and environmental requirements of particular industries
    • Legal requirements of working in particular industries
    • Business processes, project management and communication skills
    • New and emerging technology for particular industries
    • Career and further study pathways available in different industries.
Program measures included:
  • Young adults’ knowledge of apprenticeship/ traineeship and industries of theme at entry and exit of project
  • Participants’ assessment of value of various elements
  • Assistance for participant’s career decisions
  • Work experience host employers’ view of individual work and industry readiness, attitude and aptitude
  • Work experience host employers’ view of the value of, and experience needed, to host work experience
Over 50% of participants found their career of interest is now different to what they previously thought.
AEN Best Practice Guide Flowchart
AEN has produced a Best Practice Guide that covers a range of topics to support local stakeholders to continue to work with each other to support local youth into apprenticeship pathways.

To access a free copy of the best practice guideline or to read an overview of the programs results between 2016-2018 please visit the AEN Website.

Nominations Open For 65th Victorian Training Awards

65th Victorian Training Awards
Apprentices, students, teachers, employers and training providers can now nominate for the 65th Victorian Training Awards.

Minister for Training and Skills and Higher Education, Gayle Tierney, has opened nominations for the awards this week, which recognise and honour the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations in the Victorian TAFE and training sector.

“The Victorian Training Awards don’t just celebrate success—they inspire it.”

“This is your opportunity to nominate an outstanding individual or organisation in the VET sector that deserves extra recognition.”

There are 16 categories including six for individuals, four for employers, four for training organisations as well as an Industry Collaboration Award and the Lynne Kosky Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Winners will be announced at the Victorian Training Awards gala ceremony in Melbourne in September, with winners receiving $5000 in prize money.

Some winners will also have the opportunity to represent Victoria at the Australian Training Awards in Brisbane in November.

For further information please visit Victorian Training Awards.

To nominate for the 2019 Victorian Training Awards visit the Award Nominations & Registration page.

Applications close at midnight on Friday 3 May.

Labour Hire Licensing Scheme Information Sessions to Roll Out across Victoria

The Labour Hire Licensing Scheme will commence on 29 April 2019 as announced by Minister for Industrial Relations, Tim Pallas last week. The scheme is designed to better protect workers from exploitation and improve the integrity and transparency of the labour hire sector overall.

The Labour Hire Authority (LHA) will deliver over 20 information sessions across Victoria to help the sector prepare for the new labour hire licensing scheme. Delivered in March and April, the information sessions will spell out labour hire provider obligations for Victorian operators and outline how to get ready for 29 April 2019. Labour hire providers will have six months from this date to apply for a licence.

To be granted a licence, providers will be required to pass a ‘fit and proper person test’, show compliance with workplace and labour hire laws, meet minimum accommodation standards, as well as report annually on their activities.

Providers that are operating without a licence after 29 October will face steep penalties.

If an application has been made but a decision is still pending, the provider will not be in breach of the Act.

LHA is running provider sessions in key regional areas and targeting Melbourne sessions to key labour hire sectors including security, cleaning, meat processing, fruit and vegetable harvesting and processing, and building and construction.

There are also information sessions for labour hire hosts, as they are an important part of the process and liable for penalties if non-compliant with the scheme.

Visit the LHA website to register for an information session, subscribe for updates or for more information.

There is a specific GTO / VET information session on 14 March. To attend the information session please visit LHA - Events.

International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day and right now is a great time in history to do everything possible to help forge a more gender-balanced world. Women have come a long way, yet there's still more to be achieved.

The International Women's Day 2019 campaign theme of #BalanceforBetter is a call-to-action for driving gender balance across the world.

How will you help make a difference?

International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8, yet the global campaign theme continues all year long to encourage action.

The International Women's Day website is the go-to hub for everything IWD and provides detailed information, guidance and resources.

To find out further information please visit International Women's Day.

Labor’s National Inquiry into Post-Secondary Education in Australia

This week the Federal Shadow Minister for Education and Training Tanya Plibersek announced the Labour governments terms of reference for their enquiry into VET and higher education.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The Inquiry will examine and make recommendations on:

  • Building a high quality, efficient, effective, and modern post-secondary education system in Australia.
  • An equitable, sustainable, and transparent funding model for Australia’s post-secondary education system.
  • Ensuring public institutions (TAFEs and universities) are at the centre of Australia’s post-secondary education system.
  • Ensuring post-secondary education courses and qualifications are responsive to changes occurring in the labour market and society and remain fit-for-purpose.
  • Ensuring students are able to access the institutions and courses they need to increase their skills, capabilities and knowledge without barriers to reaching their full potential.
  • The appropriate links that should exist between post-secondary education and work; the role of workplaces as sites of high-quality learning; and portability of qualifications.
  • Strengthening co-operation between government, educators, unions and business to ensure the apprenticeship system is high quality, accessible, can adapt to technological change, and encourages commitment and investment from all parties benefitting from the system.
  • Increasing participation of underrepresented and disadvantaged Australians in post-secondary education.
  • Addressing the unique needs of post-secondary students and institutions in regional and remote Australia.
  • Ensuring Australia continues to have a strong, competitive, diverse and sustainable international education sector.
  • Improving careers advice with appropriate value placed on vocational education and training.
  • The adequacy of funding available for infrastructure in post-secondary sectors.
  • The adequacy of national regulatory systems, including the roles and resourcing of relevant agencies, the mechanisms of institutional accountability, the qualifications framework and consumer protections for students.
To access the terms of reference please visit here.

NSW / ACT GTO Skills Conference - 13 June 2019

NSW ACT GTO Skills Conference 2019
The Apprentice Employment Network NSW & ACT invites you to attend the 2019 Skills Conference.

With the theme of “Driving innovation in Vocational Education and Training” the conference promises to stimulate discussion and thinking around what can we do better collectively as an industry to address the skills shortages we face as a nation.

For further details on the program, speakers and to register please visit 2019 Skills Conference.

The National Career Education Strategy

The National Career Education Strategy has been developed by the Australian Government to increase awareness and improve national consistency of career education.

The strategy reflects nationally agreed objectives for governments, schools and employers to support provision of high quality career education for all school students.

“Career education is the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes through a planned program of learning experiences in education and training settings to assist students to make informed decisions about their study and/or work options and enable effective participation in working life.”
The National Career Education Strategy

Box Hill Institute - Supporting Students to Find an Apprenticeship or Traineeship

Box Hill Institute’s Skills and Job Centre consultants are ready to assist their Certificate II students in finding an apprenticeship or traineeship in their chosen field of study.

Box Hill Institute is experiencing increased numbers of enrolments and are expecting that many students will be seeking an apprenticeship or traineeship on completion of their studies.

To meet the needs of employers and apprentices, Box Hill Institute is also offering a range of workplace and blended learning options.

Subject to employer circumstances, every apprentice and trainee (regardless of occupational area), can complete a range of training hours in the workplace.

For more information about how Box Hill Institute can assist in filling apprenticeship and traineeship vacancies please contact:

Tony Watson - 0466 856 958
Executive Manager Apprenticeships and Traineeships
Email: t.watson@boxhill.edu.au

NCVER Update

Apprentice Commencements and Completions – September Quarter 2018.

The latest release of national apprentice and trainee data shows there were 34 290 commencements in the September 2018 quarter, down 5.0% compared with the September quarter in 2017.

Non-trade commencements decreased by 8.3% to 19 145 in the September 2018 quarter, with the biggest decreases seen in sales assistants and salespersons (down 36.2%) and machine and stationary plant operators (down 37.2%), when compared with the September 2017 quarter.

Trade commencements also decreased slightly, down 0.5% to 15 140 in the September 2018 quarter, with the main decreases seen in construction trades workers (down 11.4%) and other technicians and trades workers (down 14.7%), when compared with the September 2017 quarter.

Completions were also down in the September 2018 quarter, decreasing 9.6% to 20 765 when compared with the same quarter in 2017.

Cancellations and withdrawals increased to 23 725 in the September 2018 quarter, up 2.4% when compared with the September 2017 quarter.

The biggest attrition was seen in trade occupations, where cancellations and withdrawals increased by 9.4% to 13 705.

Overall there were 267 385 apprentices and trainees in-training as at 30 September 2018, down 0.6% from 30 September 2017 and down 8.2% in the three years from 30 September 2015.

The report Apprentices and trainees 2018 — September quarter, published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), is available from NCVER.



2019 Survey of Employer Use and Views of the VET System commences next Tuesday 12 March

Around 8000-9000 employers will be interviewed about their views on the VET system and how they use it to meet their skills needs.

This survey is conducted every 2 years and the results of this year’s survey will be published in late 2019.

NCVER would appreciate your support in promoting the survey.

Please visit NCVER Portal for more information, including a brochure you can use for promotions.

To find out more, or to view the results of previous surveys please visit the NCVER Portal.

Single Touch Payroll will Change the way you Report your Tax and Super

Single Touch Payroll (STP) is a new way for employers to report tax and super information to the ATO. It starts from 1 July 2019 for employers with 19 or less employees.

You'll report the following information through an STP ready solution - such as payroll software:
• payments to employees such as salaries and wages
• pay as you go (PAYG) withholding
• super information.

The way you pay your employees won't change, however you will be sending the ATO this information each time you pay them.

Start reporting any time from 1 July to 30 September 2019.

If you can’t start reporting by this time, you'll need to apply for a later start date.

An online tool to help you do this will be available on the website in April.

For more information, please visit the Australian Tax Office.

Thanks to our Industry Partners

Follow us

facebook twitter youtube linkedin google-plus
newsletter-footer