Queensland school leavers and job seekers will benefit from increased access to free or low-fee skills training under a significant investment through the JobTrainer Agreement to be rolled out across Queensland.

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

The $1 billion JobTrainer program will provide up to an additional 340,700 training places across the country for school leavers and help upskill and retrain jobseekers in areas of demand.

“JobTrainer is central to Australia’s recovery from COVID-19. It will provide Australians with new opportunities and skills to get a job” Minister Cash said.

“It is a significant joint investment by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments.”

The Queensland agreement will inject an extra $201 million into the state’s vocational education and training sector.

The Australian Government will contribute $100.5 million, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Queensland Government.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said this was a fantastic result for Queensland which would greatly assist job seekers and young people, especially school leavers.

“The JobTrainer Fund will help lift Queensland as the state recovers from COVID-19,” Mr Vasta said.

“I have spoken to a lot of young people concerned about what the future holds and to provide more skills training opportunity will provide some certainty and confidence our economy will get back on track and there will be jobs for young people.”

Minister Cash said JobTrainer was part of the Australian Government’s $6.5 billion investment in Vocational Education and Training in 2020-21.

“As part of this investment the Commonwealth is also providing additional support with the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees (SAT) wage subsidy, which has provided more than $500 million to employers across Australia since April this year.

“As part of the SAT the Government has invested $102.89 million to assist 10,461 employers to retain 17,290 apprentices and trainees in Queensland.”

For more information about JobTrainer visit: https://www.dese.gov.au/jobtrainer-fund.

National Skills Week 2020 will focus on the critical role the vocational education and training (VET) sector has in the nation’s economic recovery from COVID-19.

As a part of the Morrison Government’s economic response to COVID-19, we have committed a further $3.3 billion to skills, including funding the creation of an additional 340,700 VET training places in areas of demand.

The Government’s reforms and investments in the VET sector will strongly assist our economic recovery.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said National Skills Week was an opportunity for people to think about their career and consider where vocational education and training could take them.

“In response to the impacts of COVID-19, the Morrison Government is investing an additional $3.3 billion to give hundreds of thousands of Australians access to upskilling opportunities, rollout critical infection control training and keep apprentices and trainees connected to work,” Minister Cash said.

“Our JobTrainer Fund is an investment of $500 million from the Commonwealth Government, matched by the State and Territory Governments and providing around 340,700 additional free or low-cost training places.”

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said National Skills Week was also about recognizing the valuable work of our vocational education and training sector, as it responds quickly to COVID-19 and helps set up our economic recovery.

“We have some great local training organisations in Bonner committed to supporting people to change career paths and even upskill and now is definitely the time to do it,” Mr Vasta said.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, the Hon Steve Irons MP said additional investment was being made to support the nation’s apprentices and their employers through this challenging environment.

“The Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy is being expanded and extended so that it can support almost 90,000 businesses employing around 180,000 apprentices throughout Australia,” Assistant Minister Irons said.

For more information about National Skills Week activities and virtual events across Australia visit  www.nationalskillsweek.com.au/

The Morrison Government will invest $2 billion to give hundreds of thousands of Australians access to new skills by retraining and upskilling them into sectors with job opportunities.

The new JobTrainer skills package will also guarantee support for tens of thousands of apprentices in jobs across Australia, including the Bonner electorate, by subsidising their wages to keep them employed and training secured.

The new $1 billion JobTrainer Fund will provide up to an additional 340,700 training places across Australia to help school leavers and job seekers access pre-apprenticeships, short courses and full qualifications to develop new skills in growth sectors and create a pathway to more qualifications.

Courses will be free or low cost in areas of identified need, with the Federal Government providing $500 million with contributions matched by State and Territory Governments.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the JobTrainer skills package was focused on getting people into jobs.

“JobTrainer will ensure more Australians have the chance to reskill or upskill to fill the jobs on the other side of this crisis,” the Prime Minister said.

“COVID-19 is unprecedented, but I want Australians to be ready for the sorts of jobs that will come as we build back and recover.”

The package also includes an additional $1.5 billion to expand the wage incentive to help keep apprentices in work, which builds on the initial $1.3 billion package announced in March.

In addition to small businesses already covered, the wage subsidy will now be available to medium businesses with less than 200 employees for apprentices employed as at 1 July 2020.

Around 180,000 apprentices and 90,000 small and medium businesses employing them will now be supported, with the program extended by six months to March 2021.

The initiative covers 50 per cent of the wages paid to apprentices and trainees, up to $7000 per quarter.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Michaelia Cash said the JobTrainer skills package would form a vital part of the national recovery efforts.

“Our nation has faced many challenges, and it is critical we keep our apprentices in jobs and help those looking for work,” Minister Cash said.

“This package will be essential as the economy rebuilds so people looking for work can reskill and upskill for in-demand jobs, provide school leavers with a pathway into their careers, and ensure businesses are able to get the skilled workers they need.”

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships Steve Irons said the expanded wage subsidy would more than double the number of supported apprentices and trainees.

“The Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy will now help almost 90,000 businesses employing around 180,000 apprentices and trainees throughout Australia,” Assistant Minister Irons said.

“This will dramatically improve the viability of tens of thousands of apprenticeships and the businesses employing them right across the country.”

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the Skills Package would provide a much-needed boost to jobseekers and school leavers in his electorate to ensure jobseekers were trained in the skills needed by our local businesses community.

“Backing training, apprentices, and jobs is all part of the Morrison Government’s plan to restore our economy after the coronavirus pandemic and keep Australians in our local area in work.,” Mr Vasta said.

States and territories need to sign up to a new Heads of Agreement to access JobTrainer funding, with the agreement setting out immediate reforms to improve the vocational education and training sector, and providing the foundation for long term improvements as outlined by the Prime Minister in his recent speech to the National Press Club.

As COVID-19 has changed the way we work, train and study, the Morrison Government is working to deliver more training online.

The Government has today launched the improved and repurposed My Skills website which will now focus on online training for Australians looking to upskill during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The My Skills website has been tailored to offer more ways for Australians to improve their qualifications online.

Australians will now be able to search the increased online offerings of registered training organisations (RTOs) and vocational education and training (VET) options currently available to continue to train for the future.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said improving online learning through My Skills would provide an excellent opportunity for people in his electorate to study a whole range of course offerings from a wide range of training institutions from around the country.

“We’ve even opened the pathway for people to potentially learn from an institution or course that may not have been available to them before” Mr Vasta said.

“A VET qualification opens the door to so many job opportunities, and nationally recognised qualifications can be gained in a matter of months.”

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said the Morrison Government was focused on giving Australians more training and career opportunities during these challenging times.

“As more Australians stay at home, we want them to be able to make the most of this time by upskilling and preparing themselves for future opportunities,” Minister Cash said.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, The Hon Steve Irons MP said RTOs had been working with the Government to offer more online courses for Australians.

“The increased delivery of online learning would improve flexibility, whilst providing another avenue for Australians to update their skills, or to re-train,” Assistant Minister Irons said.

My Skills is the national directory of VET organisations and courses — an Australian Government initiative to help consumers search and compare VET courses and training providers.

The launch of the improved and repurposed My Skills website complements the Morrison Government’s existing programmes to support Australian workers with the Skills Match Tool prominently featured on the website.

The Skills Match Tool provides intuitive career guidance for Australians looking to choose or change careers based on the user’s previous work experience and qualifications.

This includes providing information on a career’s likely income, whether the industry is in growth and what future pathways are available.

For more information visit www.myskills.gov.au