VET News

Government-led Communications Strategy: Real skills for real careers

Despite industries turning to Australia’s industry-led VET graduates to find candidates with relevant, transferable and innovative skills to meet the challenges and opportunities of today, and into the future, there remains a concerning disconnect between the proven education outcomes of a VET qualification, and the public’s lack of engagement with this sector when making career decisions.

In order to reverse this way of thinking, the Australian Government saw a need to change the way we speak about VET by conveying a tone of ambition and achievement, and positioning VET as a personally, professionally and financially rewarding career choice.

To this end, on 23 November at the Australian Training Awards, the Hon Karen Andrews MP, Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, launched real skills for real careers.

Real skills for real careers is the first, Australian Government-led communications strategy that is implementing a long-term, sustained plan of activities to unify and promote the sector.

At its core, it is helping Australians understand that VET qualifications can lead to successful, meaningful, professional jobs, with great salaries and outstanding career prospects.

Its implementation includes communication initiatives centred around a united tagline for the VET sector, real skills for real careers, and promote a collaborative approach by stakeholders and corporate and community partners in assisting to elevate the status of this career pathway.

This strategy’s call to action is the enhancement of an online resource www.myskills.gov.au that will serve as a central, online information hub for VET consumers, registered training organisations and employers; helping individuals to make more informed decisions about VET.

Real skills for real careers also shines a light on the stories of the internationally recognised Australian Apprenticeship Ambassadors and Australian VET Alumni by sharing their authentic success stories in the mediums of videos, podcasts, brochures, posters and across social media.

It is through this multi-pronged communication methodology that more individuals will become aware of the proven education and career results delivered through VET.

You can assist us raise the status of VET by:

• Including the real skills for real careers tagline on your website and collateral
• Incorporating the strategy’s key messages in your information products
• Using/sharing the resources available at www.myskills.gov.au/more/resources/
• Encouraging the use of the myskills.gov.au website as a first stop for authorative information on VET
• Booking an Australian VET Alumni ambassador for your next event.

Further information: VETInfoStrategy@education.gov.au 

Date posted Apr 19, 2018