|
|
|
AE News Volume 16, Issue 4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
|
|
|
8 Mar GTO Managers Meeting
|
|
22 Mar Youth Mental Health First Aid
|
|
29 Mar Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jobs and Skills Australia - Labour Market Update
|
A new quarterly Labour Market Update report from Jobs and Skills Australia has found that Australia’s labour market conditions are robust with a strong increase in full-time employment and strong improvements for both the long-term unemployed and underemployed.
|
However, the present skills gap in many parts of the labour market remains a big economic challenge, with the domestic skills system playing an important role in responding to this challenge.
|
It also found that while many skills shortages persist, there has been growth in supply and a slight easing in recruitment difficulty and an increase in the likelihood of employers filling an advertised role.
|
Over the past year, around 36% of total employment growth has been in occupations where university qualifications are the primary pathway, while just over 60% of total employment has been in occupations where VET qualifications are the primary pathway.
|
While the overall employment picture is positive, skill shortages persist, particularly in the engineering and medical areas, mostly in regional areas.
|
The report lists new data on the top 20 occupations in shortage nationally and for each state and territory.
|
- Registered Nurses
- Software and Applications Programmers
- Aged and Disabled Carers
- Child Carers
- Construction Managers
- Motor Mechanics
For a number of these occupations, preliminary JSA analysis also highlights that the shortage is being driven by a lack of people with the right technical skills, where greater investment in training is required.
|
|
JSA is also hosting a webinar on the report and a JSA general update at 2pm on 6 March 2023.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming AEN Professional Development
|
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Mental health first aid is the help provided to someone who is developing a mental health problem, has a worsening of an existing mental health problem or is in a mental health crisis.
|
The first aid is given until appropriate professional help is received, or the crisis resolves.
|
Mental health first aid strategies are taught in evidence-based training programs authorised by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia and conducted by MHFA instructors across Australia.
|
|
Date: Wednesday 22 March 2023
|
Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training
This in-depth Indigenous cultural awareness training provides a thorough understanding of Australian Aboriginal history, government policies and their impacts on Aboriginal society.
|
Indigenous Cultural Connections Pty Ltd has an open, non-threatening training style and is welcoming of attendees to ask those ‘uncomfortable’ or ‘taboo’ questions related to Aboriginal culture without fear of offence or judgement.
|
|
Date: Wednesday 29 March 2023
|
African Cultural Awareness & Recruitment
Participants will gain an understanding of African beliefs, values, work/family values and how to work with African communities. Gain insight into the importance of cultural inclusion throughout the recruitment process along with strategies to develop, retain and support African apprentices/trainees.
|
|
Date: Wednesday 26 April 2023
|
and select the event. All prices include GST.
|
|
Please login to the members area prior to purchasing tickets to access the members rate or to RSVP for a free event.
|
|
|
|
|
|
AEN NSW & ACT Skills Conference
|
The 2023 Skills Conference is being held in Sydney on 14th June.
|
This annual event is hosted by the Apprentice Employment Network discusses various issues relating to apprenticeships and traineeships in 2023.
|
As a member of the AEN you have access to the AEN NSW & ACT member rates for the conference by using the discount code AEN2023 during the registration process.
|
This is only valid for a limited time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Encourage Women as Leaders in Male - Dominated Sectors 'Guide for Action'
|
|
|
Recent research conducted by Victoria University,TWA and Programmed, aimed to bring leaders from three male-dominated sectors (sport, trades and surgery) together to gain insights into challenges women encounter and learn about global good practices to attract and retain women as leaders.
|
The report offers practical interventions to support women in workplace leadership positions and discusses and addresses challenges faced during that intervention.
|
|
Four focus areas were targeted including career pathways, networking, mentoring, and gender bias.
|
|
|
|
As a result, a co-designed 'Guide for Action' was created that provides recommended practices for organisations to embrace in future.
|
The report A Cross-Sector Approach to Encourage Women as Leaders in Male-Dominated Sectors 'Guide for Action'
|
|
|
|
|
|
Youth Sense – Construction Sector Careers Survey on Gen Z
|
|
Tradies might be pretty conspicuous in their hi-vis but careers in construction aren’t too highly visible to Gen Zs.
|
We surveyed 305 young Australians aged 15 to 24 about what they know and think of working in construction as part of our free online New-Print of Construction course, which teaches young people about careers in the construction industry and found that only 2% of Gen Zs said they know ‘a great deal’ and 5% ‘a lot’ or about careers in construction.
|
|
While 28% said they know a ‘moderate amount’, a whopping two thirds in total said they know a little (45%) or nothing (21%).
|
|
So, in total not even a tenth of young people have any real idea about what’s going on in the construction industry.
|
|
It doesn’t really shock us then that three out of four Gen Zs we surveyed told us they were unlikely (48%) or definitely not (27%) going to work in the construction industry, or that about 17% were ‘neutral’.
|
|
Just 2% said they definitely want to work in construction, while 6% said they were likely to.
|
|
When all respondents were asked what one thing was most attractive about working in construction, one in three (33%) said the ability to make good money, 29% said working outside and it not being a desk job, 14% said every day being a different, 10% said for the potential to start a business one day, 7% said for its recognised skills to work overseas, while 7% said none of the above were attractive about it.
|
|
When asked what barriers they have to pursuing a career in construction, more than half (51%) of Gen Zs said it being physically demanding, 36% said it being too male dominated, 35% said sexism concerns, 22% said no flexibility, 21% said bullying concerns, 20% said working outdoors and it not being a desk job (this was also an attraction to others in the previous question), 16% said status was a barrier for them, while 23% said none of the above concerned them.
|
|
“Another thing that may be a factor for me to not pick this career is that I’m under the impression that this career isn’t necessarily highly considered in status which isn’t ideal if I want to tell my parents that I want to pursue this type of job,” an 18-year-old male from Victoria told us in response to the survey.
|
|
Those stereotypes of the traditional blue-collar tradies with plumber’s cracks, wearing high-vis and driving a Toyota Hilux?
|
|
Well, while classic trades in construction like bricklaying, carpentry, concreting, plumbing and plastering are still in demand, what’s called ‘paraprofessional roles’ like architect, drafter, construction manager, civil engineering technician, contract administrator or even interior designer are reconstructing the industry’s image.
|
|
And creating exciting job prospects for Gen Zs.
|
|
While sexism and the profession being male dominated were high on the list of barriers to working in construction, particularly for females, there are still those keen to make a career out of it.
|
|
“My boyfriend’s father and mother own their own construction company and my boyfriend works for their company. They enjoy their jobs and take pride in it and it has motivated me to take on a passion in the construction industry,” a 16-year-old female from NSW said.
|
|
“My goal is to have a long term, stable job in the construction industry and to have a stable source of income doing something that I enjoy. I would like to work as a tiler or bricklayer.
|
|
“I’m looking forward to learning and progressing in terms of one of these jobs and I hope in the future I achieve the ability to work a job like this. My only downside is that a high percentage of males work in the construction industry and not very many females therefore there will be a lot of masculine energy.”
|
So if you’re keen on finding out more about how the construction industry is a viable career choice for almost everyone, check out our free online New-print of Construction course made in partnership with Construction Skills Queensland.
|
Which will break down everything you thought you knew about construction, with modules like ‘Skills and industry’ and "Gearing up for the job" helping you better understand what it takes to make a career of it (and what the future could hold for you).
|
|
|
|
|
|
International Women’s Day - 8 March
|
|
For International Women's Day and beyond, let's all fully #EmbraceEquity.
|
Equity isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have.
|
A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society's DNA and it's critical to understand the difference between equity and equality.
|
IWD 2023's campaign theme aims to get the world talking about why "equal opportunities are no longer enough."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victorian WorkSafe Awards
|
|
|
A workplace safety pioneer, a stable hand who has returned to work after suffering a serious spinal cord injury and a company that reshaped its approach to preventing mental injury in the workplace were among the winners at the 2022 WorkSafe Awards that were presented last week.
|
|
WorkSafe Chief Executive Colin Radford said more than 120 nominations were received for the 2022 awards, resulting in 19 finalists vying for top honours across seven categories.
|
|
"All finalists, and indeed all those who nominated, should be rightly proud of their efforts in improving workplace health and safety," Mr Radford said.
|
|
"Congratulations to the winners for leading the way and implementing measures that will have a significant and positive impact for many years to come."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Victorian Public Holidays
|
|
Monday 13 March - Labour Day
|
Friday 7 April - Good Friday
Saturday 8 April - Saturday before Easter Sunday
Sunday 9 April - Easter Sunday
Monday 10 April - Easter Monday
Tuesday 25 April - Anzac Day
|
|
|
|
|
|
NCVER Update
|
|
|
NCVER released a new report earlier this week.
|
In the first nine months to 30 September 2022, 1,055,585 students were enrolled in government-funded vocational education and training (VET), a decrease of 6.1% from January to September 2021.
A total of 1,026,450 of these students were enrolled in nationally recognised VET, down 6.4% from the same period in 2021. Enrolments in non-nationally recognised VET totalled 52,200 which is a decrease of 5.8%.
Overall, there were 1,245,845 government-funded program enrolments, down 5.6% from the same period in 2021.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retrenched Apprentices and Trainees Program
|
|
|
Since the program commenced in May 2020, a total of 920 participants have been supported to date.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Do you want to be kept up to date with everything that’s happening with GAN Australia and the wider VET sector?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks to our Industry Partners
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
