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Media ReleaseSOLUTIONS FOR THE IT&T SKILLS SHORTAGE
K7509 2 September 1999
The Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Dr David Kemp, has welcomed the release of a survey by the IT&T Industry Task Force which recognises the effects on Australia of a worldwide shortage of skilled workers in the Information Technology and Telecommunications (IT&T) industries. " IT&T underpin the information economy which is currently transforming the world economy. To compete effectively, we need to develop and maintain Australia's skills base and grow as the industry grows," said Dr Kemp. "The Government and the IT&T industries are working together to address skill formation issues to make sure training is being provided for the skills the IT& T industry wants. "The results of this survey only serve to draw attention to the importance of higher education and vocational education and training in creating a skilled workforce to take on the IT & T challenges of the next century." Dr Kemp and Senator Alston, the Minister for Communications, Arts and Information Technology, are currently meeting with members of the Task Force to discuss the growing role of the education and training sector in meeting the increasing demand from the IT&T industries for a larger and more skilled workforce. "Australia is keeping abreast of the worldwide surge in demand for skilled IT&T workers. In 1999, commencements in IT&T Higher Education courses rose by 26.6 per cent, and were 148 per cent higher than in 1989. Between 1989 and 1998 completions in these courses rose by 182 per cent," said Dr Kemp. "Commencements in higher level vocational education and training (VET), courses also rose by 57 per cent in the four years to 1998, and at all levels, there were approximately 120,000 IT&T VET commencements in 1998. "Despite this progress we still face a challenge in providing skills to meet the world-wide growth of the IT&T industries. The Information Technology and Telecommunications Industry Training Advisory Board (ITAB) has described the VET sector’s role as ‘invaluable in meeting skill shortages’. Recently Dr Kemp launched the IT&T Training Package to provide quality, nationally recognised, and industry agreed qualifications in a wide range of IT&T related areas. Industry specific courses can also be undertaken as part of a New Apprenticeship which provide more opportunities to access these courses. (which outside New Apprenticeships arrangements can be very expensive). Attractive incentives are available to eligible employers who take on a New Apprentice under the IT Training Package. The Government and the Australian National Training Authority are working with the IT Industry Training Advisory Board (ITAB) to develop training materials under the Package. The materials will support a wide range of New Apprenticeships in such areas as database administration, network management, technical support, programming and systems analysis and design; all skill areas essential to the underpinning of a rapidly expanding industry. "The Howard Government’s policies have reversed Labor’s disgraceful track record in vocational education and training and have provided real opportunities for young people to move smoothly from school into work," said Dr Kemp. Media Contact: Samantha Herron 0412 639 754 or 02 62777 460
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