Vocational Education And Training (VET) Is A Game-Changer

NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Hon Steve Whan MP launched the start of National Skills Week 2024 in NSW in association with Business Sydney.

Recent Skills announcements in NSW have included:

• The NSW Government is investing $252.2 million to employ an additional 1300 apprentices and trainees in the local government sector across the state, the largest state government investment in directly hiring new apprentices in recent memory. This investment will train up the next generation of skilled labour while keeping jobs within local councils, reversing the trend of councils outsourcing jobs to contractors.

• The NSW Government is helping future-proof the State’s farming industry by extending the AgSkilled Program focused on upskilling the State’s agricultural workforce. AgSkilled is an industry-led training program designed to upskill and better prepare the agricultural workforce for fast-moving changes driven by innovation, research, and technology.

• NSW’s first Hydrogen Centre of Excellence will train thousands of plumbers and gas fitters and ensure NSW has a pipeline of multi-skilled workers for the hydrogen industry. Plumbers and gas fitters are some of the key jobs that will need new skills and training to support the shift to renewable energy. Additionally, there is a shortage of plumbers in NSW and across Australia. The $25 million investment will deliver a practical training centre capable of training and upskilling 8250 plumbers and gas fitters in its first five years of operation.

National Skills Week Chair, Brian Wexham emphasised the importance of changing the perception of VET in Australia to highlight its benefits and address skill shortages effectively.

“Choosing Vocational Education and Skills Training can be the ultimate game-changer in the competitive edge with skills and confidence to thrive,” Mr Wexham said.

“By promoting future careers, highlighting skills shortages, and identifying emerging trends in Australia and the global economy, VET can deliver the skills needed in the country to boost Australia’s workforce in the coming years.

“Apprenticeships are a cornerstone of the VET sector, and a high-quality apprenticeship pathway will continue to be critical to ensuring that Australia is able to respond to emerging skills needs and increasingly dynamic labour markets.”

Minister Wexham said the theme for this year’s National Skills Week was Game Changer.

“It’s a game changer for people’s lives to get the skills that we can teach them,” Minister Wexham said.

“The NSW Government is on board with 1000 apprenticeships and traineeships within our organisations and 1300 more in local government.

“The training we offer through our TAFEs and RTOs is absolutely vital.

“We are making changes over the coming couple of years to make sure it is fit for purpose and able to provide our communities and our businesses with the skills we need to overcome the housing shortages and make sure we have the workforce to prosper in the future.”

TAFE NSW Managing Director, Stephen Brady said vocational education was for every Australian, whether they’re beginning their career, taking it to the next level or changing careers.

“Learners in regional, remote, and urban areas - across all levels of schooling and job experience - benefit greatly from the many education, training, and industry connection opportunities offered by registered training providers like TAFE NSW,” Mr Brady said.

“We can be a career game changer for everyone from secondary school students learning a trade through to learners completing a bachelor’s degree and business owners needing to upskills for industry currency.

“Our sector is working together to address the skills needs of trades, professions, and businesses of today and tomorrow.

“We are striving to build pipelines of well-equipped apprentices and other workers across the country in critical priority areas like renewable energy, construction, and care services.

“Flexible course delivery initiatives like online classes, block release, and virtual reality training are making high quality training accessible anytime, anywhere.

“Vocational education really does pave the way to success for our regional communities, industries and the economy.”

National Skills Week, from August 19 to 25, will this year encourage all Australians to discover how Vocational Education and Training (VET) can be the ultimate game changer in their own or their families’ careers and lives as well as highlight the game-changing impact skills has on Australia’s future and economy.

Whether you’re a high school leaver looking for inspiration of what courses to study to lead you on an exciting and rewarding career pathway, you’re a parent looking to guide your child , your a worker looking to upskill, re-skill or even switch careers and pursue a new passion, National Skills Week is designed to give you the tools, inspiration and information you need to take control of your future.

Learn about practical, real-world skills that you can apply immediately in the workforce, ensuring you are job-ready from the jobs of today and for the future.

The week will highlight the significant contributions of women in trades, the importance of Indigenous workforce participation, and the need for accessibility in remote areas.

It will also highlight the most in-demand, highest growth industry sectors and sub-sectors such as manufacturing and digital skills as well as address skills shortages across a myriad of sectors.

• Topics:

• Employment & Training
• TAFE