Young South Australians are encouraged to choose ECEC in JobsTrainer package

Young South Australians, school leavers and job seekers will benefit from increased low-cost training under a significant investment through the JobTrainer package to be rolled out across South Australia, Premier Steven Marshall has announced. 

 

Mr Marshall outlined the more than $88 million in additional funding which will be injected into the state’s training system, including $53.5 million from the State Government and $34.5 million from the Federal Government.

 

As well as driving new pathways and employment into new and emerging sectors, such as cyber security, ICT, defence industries and the creative industries, JobTrainer will prioritise skills in sectors where there is high demand for skilled workers to drive employment, such as in the care sector – aged care, disability care and childcare.

 

It is this dual pronged approach, Mr Marshall said, which is “key to the state’s future economic growth” and which will drive “a skills-led economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

 

Federal Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Michaelia Cash said strengthening Australia’s skills and training system is a priority as the nation responds to COVID-19.

 

“JobTrainer is central to Australia’s recovery from COVID-19. It will provide Australians with new opportunities and skills,” she said, describing the “significant” joint investment by the Commonwealth and States and Territories.

 

SA Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni said training delivery will be a mix of short courses (microcredentials), and qualifications with tailored delivery aligned to sector needs to support entry and re-entry into the workforce, including through traineeships and apprenticeships.

 

“Skills and workforce development are critical to South Australia’s economic rebuild, recovery and transition, and proficiency in skills drives individual prosperity, economic productivity and growth, and helps create more jobs,” he added. 

 

Mr Pisoni reiterated that the SA Government “shares the Morrison Government’s commitment to a skills-led economic recovery”, welcoming the announcement of the JobTrainer Fund and the recent extension of wage subsidies for apprentices and trainees employed by small and medium businesses.

 

South Australia’s “nation leading” results, he said, were attributable to strong partnerships with industry, as evidenced by the latest national data showing in 2019 SA achieved a 14.7 per cent increase in apprentice and trainee commencements, compared to only a 2.5 per cent increase nationally.

 

“With this significant investment we will also provide support for around 4,000 people to transition into paid training contracts such as apprenticeships and traineeships in sectors that haven’t traditionally used the paid traineeship model, where they can utilise the skills gained through JobTrainer. This is part of our JobTrainer target of 15,000 training places,” Mr Pisoni added.

 

More information about JobsTrainer at Federal level is available here. For SA specific information, see here.