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AE News Volume 12, Issue 35
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Friday, 20th September 2019
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Upcoming Events
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24 September - Health and Wellness at Work Workshop
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2 October - Critical Thinking Workshop
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22 October - Personal Productivity Training Workshop
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Nominations are Now Open for the 2019 Annual AEN & Global Apprenticeship Network - Australia Awards and Scholarship
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This year promises to be bigger and better than ever with more award categories to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of the Victorian Apprenticeship Employment Network.
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Nominations are now open and applications can be submitted online via the AEN Awards page with the application closing date: Friday 1st November 2019.
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2019 Award Individual Categories
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Trainee of the Year - Sponsored by VicSuper
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GTO Categories
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GTO Industry Service Awards
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Outstanding OHS Initiative - Sponsored by EML
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AEN Lifetime Achievement Award
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Global Apprenticeship Network Awards (New Category)
GAN International Apprentice Scholarship - The GAN International Apprentice Scholarship is designed to provide Australian apprentices and trainees the opportunity to experience how apprenticeships and traineeships are delivered abroad; investigate alternative technologies and work methods; and consider the application of the learnings to their apprenticeship in a local context. The total value of the scholarship is $12,000.00.
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National Youth Initiative Award - The National Youth Initiative Award recognises those employers who have made innovative improvements in skills development which provide beneficial outcomes for their apprentices and/or trainees in Australia and to their local community.
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To access all the awards nomination information, online application forms and past winners please visit AEN Awards.
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Nominations close 6pm Friday 1st November 2019
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Awards will be presented at the annual dinner on Friday 6 December - Victorian Parliament House Queens Hall 6pm- 10pm. Tickets will be available shortly.
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GAN Inaugural Meeting
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On Thursday this week, the AEN and GAN Australia held their inaugural meeting where industry leaders representing large employers from the private sector, federal and state government, TAFE, group training and the not-for-profit sector gathered to discuss current issues and promote best practices on two complex issues that we face:
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- Skills for Business - attracting and retaining staff is ever-challenging in today’s business environment.
- Jobs for Youth - at the same time, we have high youth unemployment in many pockets around Australia - particularly within indigenous and culturally diverse communities.
Meeting Highlights
Best practice presentations
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The group heard presentations from the following organisations:
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Nestle on their Global Youth Initiative “Nestle needs YOUth” program which aims to help 10 million young people worldwide access economic opportunities by 2030 with a focus on employability, entrepreneurship and agripreneurship.
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MIGAS on their Shell QGC Pathways Program – a program run in the Western Downs Region in Queensland that aims at creating job opportunities for individuals to establish a career pathway with a world-leading organisation through apprenticeships. To date the program has seen a 40% Female Participation and 20% indigenous participation.
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MEGT on their Microsoft Traineeship Program that aims to train 1500 trainees nationally by 2022 and reach a target of 40% female and 10% indigenous participation. Trainees will receive a nationally recognised Certificate IV qualification as well as Microsoft Certification.
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Apprenticeship Vacancy Index
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The AVI will be monitored and updated on a monthly basis and is freely available on the GAN Australia Website.
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Upcoming Policy Paper
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An announcement was made on the forthcoming policy paper entitled “Time to get on with the job – Utilising the apprenticeship system to support youth and strengthen Australia’s skills needs”.
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The paper provides recommendations and best practice examples of how an adequately funded and agile apprenticeship system can lead to a higher skilled and stronger workforce.
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The paper is due to be released later this month.
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Victorian Labour Hire Authority Update
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Labour hire providers benefit from applying early
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Providers benefit from submitting complete applications early because:
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- Host businesses can find that you have lodged an application on the Labour Hire Authority website.
- If a decision has not been made by 29 October 2019 then you may continue to operate until a decision is made on your licence.
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Upcoming information sessions
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The Authority has delivered over 95 information sessions and forums across Victoria to help providers and hosts understand their obligations.
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These sessions have involved a range of industries such as security, cleaning, meat processing, fruit and vegetable harvesting and processing, vocational training, finance, consulting and IT, healthcare, manufacturing, accommodation, construction and transport.
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Scheduled information sessions
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Friday, 20 September 2019 from 3:00pm, Melbourne CBD
Thursday 26 September 2019 at 1:30pm, Melbourne CBD
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More sessions will be added.
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ATO Update - Single Touch Payroll for Small Businesses Starts 30 September
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Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting is here, make the move by 30 September 2019.
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STP changes the way you report your employees' tax and super information to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). You now need to report salaries and wages, pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and super information each time you pay your employees.
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If you already use STP-enabled payroll software start reporting now and you won't have to worry about missing the deadline.
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If you're not ready you can do one of these three things before 30 September 2019:
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- Go to ato.gov.au/stpsolutions and find a software solution that meets your needs. Once you have a solution you can start reporting.
- Talk to your tax or BAS agent about concessional reporting options available to you. These options will depend on your individual circumstances.
- Apply for more time if you won't be able to start reporting by the deadline.
With over 400,000 employers already reporting through STP, it’s important to engage with the ATO before 30 September, even if it’s to ask for more time.
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WorkSafe Victoria – Health and Safety Month Series of Information Sessions in October
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October is National Health and Safety Month. As part of raising the awareness of OHS issues, WorkSafe Victoria is hosting a series of information sessions.
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Seminars will be held across the state on a range of topics including;
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- keynote presentations on mental health & wellbeing
- information on silicosis
- conversations about sexual harassment and workplace equality
- managing dangerous goods
- preventing mental injury in the workplace
- identifying stress and bullying in the workplace
- the safety of young workers
- drugs and alcohol in the workplace - how to implement testing
- occupational violence and aggression in healthcare.
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For further information and to register for a free information session near you, please visit WorkSafe Victoria.
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Funding Grants Available to Women Who Work in the Training Sector
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End of year funding grants are currently available to women who work in the training and development sector to support their participation in a professional development program.
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The initiative is now in its fifteenth year, Women & Leadership Australia (WLA) has been developing female leadership and supporting the presence of women in business and community leadership roles.
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Up to $7,000 scholarships available
The fee support opportunity provides a scholarship of up to $7,000 for women to take part in one of three leadership courses.
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The grants have been provisioned for use by women right across the country, with a specific focus on the training and development industry, but must be allocated by the end of 2019.
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The programs are suitable for junior managers right through to executive level women.
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Melbourne Career Expo 2020
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Melbourne Convention & ExhThe Melbourne Career Expo, is the most comprehensive and exciting Careers event in Victoria. Now in its 19th year, it is also one of the longest, most successful expos in Melbourne.
This is a great opportunity to get face to face with more than 16,000 students, graduates, Job seekers and those in the Job change market. Showcasing over 140+ exhibitors ranging from Universities, TAFE’s, Registered Training Organisations, Government Departments and large employers, this is an event not to be missed.
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Once again they have secured the services of the highly respected Career Development Association of Victoria who will be offering Free Resume Checking, Career Counselling and free career Workshops.
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AATIS Information Sessions
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The Australian Apprenticeships & Traineeships Information Service (AATIS) are hosting interactive information sessions around the country.
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During these sessions AATIS will showcase some of their key resources, including the AAPathways website, My Gain YouTube channel, co-branded resources, and more.
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These information sessions are aimed at individuals and organisations that work with students and job hunters, such as career advisers, schools, training organisations, AASN providers, GTOs, and employment services providers.
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AATIS Webinar - Tuesday 26th November 2019
For those who can't attend the face to face sessions, AATIS will be hosting a free webinar for those who work with potential apprentices and trainees. This webinar will cover the same content as the information sessions, and attendees can ask questions and interact with AATIS staff through the webinar chat functions.
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VRQA Update
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Group training organisations (GTOs) are labour hire providers that employ apprentices and trainees and place them with ‘host’ employers.
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We recognise GTOs that apply for recognition and comply with National Standards for GTOs (the Standards).
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The Standards provide a framework to ensure GTOs operate ethically, with due consideration of the apprentice, trainee and host employer’s needs through the provision of quality services and support systems.
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Before recognising a GTO, we audit it against three key elements within the Standards:
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- recruitment, employment and induction
- monitoring and supporting apprentices and trainees to completion
- maintaining a sustainable GTO which is well governed and administered.
An organisation considering becoming a GTO should be aware of its potential labour hire licence obligations. For more information, please visit Labour Hire Authority.
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MOU with the Labour Hire Authority
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On 13 August 2019, VRQA Director Lynn Glover signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Labour Hire Licensing Authority (LHA) to help protect vulnerable apprentices and trainees from exploitation.
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The VRQA registers and regulates apprenticeships and traineeships, while the LHA is responsible for the business licensing system that regulates the provision of labour hire services.
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The MOU sets out the commitment of both parties and formalises their information sharing arrangements and procedures. It will help to:
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- assist the LHA to improve the transparency and integrity of the labour hire industry
- help the VRQA to fulfil its responsibilities regulating the compliance of employers and their apprentices and/or trainees with training contract obligations, as well as their obligations under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006.
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AEN Upcoming Events & PD Sessions
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We have a busy end to the year planned with plenty of member network meetings and professional development sessions scheduled.
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Check out the list of upcoming events below and go to our Events Calendar to RSVP.
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Health and Wellness at Work Workshop - Tuesday 24 September
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Critical Thinking Workshop - Wednesday 2 October
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Personal Productivity Training - Tuesday 22 October
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Enhancing Workplace Relationships Workshop - Wednesday 6 November
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OHS Network - Tuesday 12 November
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AGM & Mini Conference - Wednesday 13 November
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Confidence, Self Esteem & Assertiveness Workshop - Tuesday 26 November
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2019 Awards Dinner - Friday 6 December
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We have also organised a two day regional workshop in Albury on Thursday 31 October and Friday 1 November covering the following topics:
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Managing Difficult Situations Workshop
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Emotional Intelligence Workshop
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Places for the Albury workshops are filling fast so register now to avoid missing out.
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These are free events for AEN members to attend.
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Victorian ICT Traineeship Program
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Funded by the Victorian Government, Ai Group has commenced co-ordinating a new program to increase traineeships in the ICT industry.
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The program aims to commence 50 new traineeships by 31 December 2020 by:
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- Working with employers to identify traineeship opportunities;
- Developing a preparatory program for 100 prospective trainees to gain an introduction to the industry and some relevant skills before commencing work; and
- Supporting the employers and trainees throughout the process (mentor and supervisor training).
This opportunity is open to all GTO’s to become involved.
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New Free Resources to Assist in Designing Better Youth Employment Programs
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Across Australia, many organisations are delivering community-led employment programs. These organisations valuably contribute to the lives of young people, however, collection and use of data is inconsistent and evidence of impact is limited.
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Currently, there is no effective mechanism for identifying and extending good practice across the sector.
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Addressing this challenge, Social Ventures Australia (SVA) has recently launched Review; a free online toolkit for organisations that deliver community-led employment programs.
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Review includes surveys and tools that are designed to make it easier for organisations to design and deliver effective programs, to collect feedback from young people and make data-driven improvements to their programs over time.
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The toolkit was developed with support from Jobs Australia, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Orygen: The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, VicHealth, University of Melbourne and Jesuit Social Services.
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The toolkit identifies ten characteristics common to effective youth employment programs and resources have been developed with reference to a literature review, a review of Australian community-led employment programs and input from the sector.
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The team at SVA is now working with community-led employment programs to test the toolkit resources and develop an online platform that will make data collection and use even easier.
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Organisations that participate will have access to data at both an individual and program level that will allow them to track program effectiveness, drive continual improvement and to speak to potential funders and partners about their impact.
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SVA will collate data and learnings will be extended to funders, peak bodies, policy influencers and the wider sector.
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How can you get involved?
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You can download the Review Toolkit from Review's website.
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You can also help test the resources, build the online data collection platform and start to gather data on your employment program.
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SVA is looking for organisations that:
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- deliver employment programs for young people aged 16-24;
- would like to build their capability around data collection and use; and
- are delivering programs between now and May 2020
There is no cost involved.
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Bunnings PowerPass
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Thanks to our Industry Partners
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