The Australian Government has today officially launched the Productivity Places Program to fund 20,000 new skills training places from 1 April 2008.
From today Registered Training Organisations interested in participating in the Productivity Places Program can access expression of interest forms.
These 20,000 new skilled training places kicking off in April will ensure that workers with improved skills will enter the workforce as early as June 2008.
The 20,000 skilled training places will focus on areas of acute skills shortage in the Australian workforce. Areas of focus will include:
* Mining and construction carpenter, bricklayer, joiner, wall and floor tiler, roof plumber;
* Health and community services - child care worker, special care worker, personal care and nursing assistant;
* Motor Mechanic - Automotive electrician, panel beater, vehicle painter, vehicle body maker; and
* Personal and other service industries cook, hairdresser, sales representative, travel and tourism agent.
The Productivity Places Program is the first step in the Government's election commitment to provide an additional 450,000 training places over the next four years to ensure that Australians develop the skills that industry needs.
By significantly increasing the skills base of the Australian workforce the Government's extra skills training places will ease a capacity constraint in the Australian economy and put downward pressure on inflation.
The Reserve Bank has been warning for several years that skills shortages are driving up inflationary pressures in the Australian economy. Rather then ignore these warnings the Australian Government is taking practical action to begin to address the Reserve Bank's concerns.
The Productivity Places Program will be delivered in a progressively reformed system which will shift the focus from funding training with little regard to employment outcomes or the needs of the economy, to an increasingly responsive system driven by industry demand.
The mining industry is currently experiencing the highest vacancy to employment ratio, with around 3.7 vacancies for every 100 people employed in the industry. Wages growth is also strongest in the mining industry, with the Wage Price Index increasing at 5.1 per cent through the year to the December quarter 2007.
Wages growth is also strong in the construction industry, at 4.6 per cent through the year to September 2007. The construction industry has the highest proportion of employees with a certificate as their highest post-school qualification, at 45.7 per cent.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is seeking submissions from RTOs wishing to offer approved qualifications under the Productivity Places Program.
Submissions can be made from 7 March 2008. For further information go to: www.dest.gov.au/productivityplaces