Government ‘has failed on skills development’
The NSW Labor Government’s last-minute policy announcements on trying to address the skills shortage is an admission of failure over the past 12 years, Shadow Minister for Skills Development and Training Don Page said.
Mr Page said the skills shortage had been generated by under-investment in TAFE, low-completion rates for apprenticeships and traineeships and a lack of incentives to keep apprentices and trainees in training.
“The Iemma Government’s last-minute announcement on skills cannot hide the fact that most of the skills shortages in NSW are due to a lack of focus by the Labor Government which was recently conceded by Minister Costa who said ‘in the 90s we lost focus in that area’ and admitted they ‘had dropped the ball’,“ Mr Page said.
“The fact is the NSW Labor Government’s investment in TAFE’s funding per annual student hour has been cut significantly from $15.60 in 2000 to $13.70 in 2005, according to the Auditor General’s Report to Parliament 2006.
“In addition, the completion rate for apprenticeships in NSW is at a national low of 41 per cent on the latest figures available.
“Whilst new places are helpful, we need to ensure higher completion rates and Labor’s policy doesn’t do this.
“Labor points out in their policy document that TAFE enrolments have increased, but they don’t tell you about the TAFE completion rate of less than 50 per cent.
“The NSW Liberal/Nationals policy to address the skills shortage has been strongly endorsed by the Business Chamber, who said the Opposition’s skills policy ‘Hands On’ is comprehensive and ‘offers real solutions to skills shortages in NSW’, unlike the Government’s policy which has no third party endorsement.”
Mr Page said the Liberal/Nationals Coalition plan to lift skill levels in NSW includes:
Providing apprentices with a $500 bonus at the end of their first and third years of training;
Introducing standard three-year competency based apprenticeships;
Exempting employers from paying the cost of WorkCover premiums for apprentices;
Extending Vocational Education and Training (VET) permanently to Year 9 and 10 students;
An information campaign in high schools to lift the value attached to skilled workers;
Targeted defence industry skills development to foster, maths, science and engineering opportunities;
A formal bid to host the 2013 World Skills ‘Skills Olympics’ in NSW;
Developing a closer relationship between TAFE NSW and business; and
Directly appointing business and industry representatives to the NSW Skills Council.
