Today’s Victorian Government Skills Statement, `Maintaining the Advantage: Skilled Victorians’, is a step in the right direction towards solving some of our pressing skills issues, says VECCI.
"On behalf of the wider business community, VECCI has been lobbying the Government for some time about the need to address skill shortages in Victoria - the recent VECCI Business Pre-Budget survey indicated that 72% of respondents found that access to skilled labour was a concern", says VECCI Chief Executive Officer, Mr Neil Coulson.
"VECCI’s Victoria Summit, which took place in November last year, highlighted a number of areas that must be addressed, including the preparation of young people, measures to improve workforce participation, and changes to improve the Training System.
"The measures announced by the Premier today are particularly pleasing as they provide additional funding to meet the concerns raised by VECCI on behalf of Victorian employers.
"The additional funding for pre-apprenticeship training for students still at school will address the need to increase the interest in traditional trades. The announcement of a broad based marketing campaign will also promote the positive image and careers opportunities in trade areas.
"Other initiatives such as additional funding for Technical Education Centres are also welcome in further addressing skill shortage issues.
"It is significant that the Government has also supported up-skilling needs for existing workers and mature aged workers by providing additional funding for access to adult apprenticeships and higher level qualifications such as Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas.
"Other announcements such as the Skill Stores and funding careers promotion are also welcome.
"However, given the need to kickstart the hiring of apprentices and trainees to overcome skills shortages, it was disappointing that our call to offset business costs through the reintroduction of Payroll Tax exemptions for apprentices and trainees in skill shortage areas has not been considered by the Government - hopefully this will occur in the upcoming May State Budget", says Mr Coulson.
