VET News

A Chance to be Bold and Ambitious

Released on 8 June 2017 by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), A chance to be bold and ambitious: make apprenticeships the lynchpin to a better integrated tertiary education sector , highlights pertinent issues from current and past apprenticeship schemes.  

The paper considers the opportunity for Australia to benefit from the opportunity delivered in the latest Federal budget with the announcement of the Skilling Australians Fund. Especially, as Australia’s apprenticeship and traineeship system is in decline, with numbers at a ten-year low.

“The apprenticeship model is valuable and enduring – and it can be made much more bold and ambitious” said Dr Craig Fowler, Managing Director, NCVER.

“The budget announcement can be used as an opportunity to invigorate the system and deliver a far more enticing opportunity to young Australians and higher quality apprentices and traineeships to better meet the skills of Australia’s employers. It’s not just greater numbers — it’s as much about new opportunity and higher quality and performance standards.”

By looking to future bolder and more ambitious opportunities, connected with future growth industries, high demand occupations and trade apprentices there is potential for apprenticeships to become the lynchpin in a better integrated tertiary education sector and also support the nation’s innovation and science agenda.

For more information, you can view the:

• NCVER media release;
• Paper, A chance to be bold and ambitious  by NCVER;
• Information on Skilling Australians Fund from the Department of Education and Training; and
• Federal budget information on Skilling Australians Fund.

Date posted Jun 15, 2017