VECCI will today hold a Pre-Election Forum on skills issues at its head office in Albert Street, East Melbourne.
The speakers at the Forum will include: the Hon. Lynne Kosky, Minister for Education and Training; Victor Perton, representing the Shadow Minister for Education; and the Hon. Bill Baxter MP, National Party spokesman on education.
“VECCI has been at the forefront of advocating skills measures to boost Victoria’s productivity, growth and employment”, says VECCI Chief Executive Officer, Mr Neil Coulson.
“With a State Election just over a month away, it is important that business and other key stakeholders are aware of the skills policies and related initiatives of each of the leading political parties.
“VECCI’s Pre-Election Policy Forum on Skills provides this insight and continues the momentum of reform and policy development initiated by VECCI at its November 2005 Victoria Summit”, says Mr Coulson.
“In terms of specific skills initiatives, the next Victorian Government must:
- Fund a new, targeted marketing campaign aimed at parents and young people promoting the value of apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities
- Encourage the introduction by the Federal Government of modified Australian Apprenticeships for Year 10 students providing enhanced access to alternative curriculum options as well as improved standards of literacy and numeracy support
- Expand funding of school enterprise skill centres. These models leverage existing school infrastructure in close partnership with employers, schools and training providers
- Ensure that Welfare to Work reforms address the risk issues for industry and the provision of work readiness programs for recipients in order to manage their effective transition to work
- Ensure that the training system is sufficiently focussed on retraining and re-skilling older workers in the workplace
- Assess the need for a further increase in Victoria’s share of national migration in order to meet skills and labour gaps over the short to medium term
- Increase Australian and State Government funding for the Victorian training system (embodied in the ‘Government Funded Training Program’) by a minimum additional $25 million per annum over the next three years. This funding boost will help ensure the State’s training system can effectively meet accelerating demand ahead of increasing skill and labour shortages
- Ensure that reform of apprenticeships focuses on competence attainment rather than fixed durations. Additional financial support should be provided to expand VET programs in schools to enable lower level qualifications to lead into apprenticeships
- Reintroduce payroll tax and Work Cover premium exemptions for apprentices and trainees to act as a stimulus for areas of identified skill shortage, for a 3-year period, subject to review.
“Progress on these vital issues will brighten the economic future and quality of life of all Victorians”, says Mr Coulson.
The VECCI Pre-Election Forum on Skills will be held on Tuesday 24 October between 4.30pm and 6.00pm at VECCI, Level 5, 486 Albert Street, East Melbourne |
