The focus of the chamber is in promoting the uptake the School-based New Apprentices, and related strategic initiatives including Partner Outreach Education Model Pilots.
They have a pivotal role in providing information to their members (employers) on School-based New Apprentices and how they can add value to their workplace. They work to increase awareness and to provide instruction on how to employ a School-based New Apprentice. They have worked closely with the ACT hairdressing industry which has been significantly involved with the uptake of School-based New Apprentices.
The chamber is working to identify the skills that employers need, and then communicate this to schools and students. It is important for schools and students to know which skills employers need and expect.
For more information visit the ACT Chamber of Commerce and Industry's website. 
Commerce Queensland have been active in raising awareness about the benefits of vocational education in schools. They have established a partnership with the local Offices of Economic Development in the Redland and Logan Shires. They are active in providing advice to both employers and schools regarding training opportunities along with advice on employability skills and outcomes.
They have actively engaged with the Gold Coast region promoting involvement in Vocational Education in schools to local retailers, state high schools and special schools.
They are working to increase the awareness to employers of School-based New Apprentices as a way of meeting future recruitment needs whilst instilling in students a strong workplace ethic. CQ is actively promoting the Employability Skills Framework to employers, particularly on how it works on the ground.
For more information visit Commerce Queensland's website.
Chamber representatives participates in fora to promote Vocational Education in Schools policy, including discussions with the Minister for Employment, Science and Training, the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson.
The chamber has played an ongoing and strategic role working with Local Community Partnerships to address industry skill shortages. The chamber has sponsored a pilot run at the Northland Secondary College where a Manufacturing Skills Centre has been established on campus to deliver curriculum related to vocational education and training, and the Victorian Certificate of
Applied Learning, and to develop School-based New Apprentices links. This is crucial to address the needs of industry, promote skill development in key areas and arrest the decline of traditional trade areas.
The chamber widely promotes vocational education in schools with principals through Local Community Partnerships. This gets employers working in partnerships with schools and as a result there has been an expansion in the uptake of School-based New Apprentices. They actively market the Apprenticeships especially in industries with skill shortages.
The chamber is involved in the promotion of the Employability Skills Framework through publications and articles made available to its members. The chamber is also involved in the Teacher Release to Industry Program (TRIP) which enables selected host employers to offer teachers full-time, forty week positions within their enterprise. These placements, expose vocational education teachers to employer expectations of employees, and enable them to link their students to Structured Workplace Learning opportunities.
For more information visit the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry's website.
The chamber is promoting vocational education in schools as a pathway. They seek the views of their members and then use this feedback to influence policy. They are very active in working with government and industry in WA and have strong links to WA initiatives.
The chamber is promoting School-based New Apprenticeship pathways and has developed strategies to enhance responsiveness by employers. They ensure their members receive timely and accurate information and assistance, which advances their interest to employ School-based New Apprentices.
For more information visit the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's website.
The chamber is working towards educating teachers about the relevance and importance of employability skills and how they are used within the work environment. The chamber represents the employers’ perspective to Registered Training Organisations, schools and universities.
For more information visit the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's website.
Business SA is active in engaging with the broader education community and employers about the features and benefits of vocational education and training in schools. Business SA provides information, including through presentations, to raise awareness about vocational education and training in schools and School-based New Apprentices.
Business SA is an advocate for the Employability Skills Framework agenda, including a range of strategic initiatives to promote this agenda.
Business SA is active in engaging with business and employers to promote vocational education and training in schools and provides accurate information to employers. They are responsive to business needs.
For more information visit the Business South Australia website.
The chamber encourages employer participation in vocational education in schools by flagging to them the opportunities and advantages to their organisations. It is actively involved in the promotion and dissemination of employability skills to school principals. Employability skills are being incorporated into the chamber’s education and training policy.
The chamber promotes information to employers on School-based New Apprenticeships.
For more information visit the Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce and Industry's website.
This chamber continues to build partnerships with automotive employers and provide information on vocational education in schools and associated programmes. They aim to ensure their members are aware of the school to work programmes available to employers. The chamber has secured 130 employers who have committed to offering work placements. They monitor employer concerns and ensure the demands of the employer are taken into account when facilitating students for work placement.
The distribution of vocational education and training in schools information has raised employers' awareness of school-based programmes. The chamber has found that employer feedback has suggested that vocational education in schools programmes are highly regarded because employers can trial students before any consideration to employ is made. Additionally, employers have indicated that some students involved in vocational education and training programmes are often more advanced in their capabilities in dealing with general workshop situations.
The chamber’s mobile career information unit distributes information kits and career information to secondary schools throughout Victoria. The unit provides students with current industry and employment information, and has had an increase in schools requesting follow up visits. The chamber also has a mobile career information unit which has visited and will continue to visit schools.
For more information visit the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce's website.
Australian Business Limited (ABL) is promoting vocational education in schools, particularly through the distribution of industry-focused brochures and web-based materials. These showcase the features and benefits of employer engagement in vocational education and training in schools programmes.
ABL is working with members in Riverina, Western Sydney, Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers ABL Regions to support their interactions with local education/industry partnerships. They are developing similar support mechanisms for members in the Illawarra and Hunter regions.
In 2004, ABL, in collaboration with local Structured Workplace Learning coordinators, will be hosting a number of regional breakfasts for members. ABL has undertaken an employer survey to assess the structured workplace learning partnership, such as identifying appropriateness and numbers of student placements, and their employability.
ABL is active in the dissemination of information on the Employability Skills Framework.
ABL are a source of information about career education. They undertook a survey of all NSW career advisers, Department of Education and Training, Catholic Education Commission and Association of Independent Schools to determine the level of awareness, appropriateness and use of industry-developed resources.
ABL is also working with NSW teachers and vocational education and training in schools teachers so they can effectively inform students on the current realities of the business/industry to which they have been exposed.
For more information visit Australian Business Limited's website.
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has disseminated information on vocational education in schools pathways via publications, posters and the Big Plans website.
The HIA have successfully piloted a bricklaying initiative to introduce bricklaying as a career with pathways to self-employment and financial independence.
Employability skills are discussed and emphasised to students so they better understand the importance of these skills for their futures.
The HIA acts as a broker of new student/employer relationships.
For more information visit the Housing Industry Association's website.
The Printing Industries Association of Australia (PIAA) is advancing greater awareness and understanding of vocational education in schools. Its national management group has developed a vocational education and training in schools policy over recent years and this has been adopted in varying ways and to varying extents by the state branches. The common thread has been to set goals that will ultimately ensure adequate flow from schools to industry at different levels. There are regular discussions on opportunities to increase the take up of School-based New Apprentices.
PIAA have surveyed their members and feedback flows into ongoing policy development processes. Surveys have shown that employer awareness and positive attitude towards School-based New Apprentices is increasing.
There have been several instances where industry has been able to source new staff (work experience, school-based trainees, trainees, apprentices) by using PIAA as an intermediary between themselves and schools guidance and job placement staff.
PIAA recently launched a website New Print Pathway which aims to acquaint teachers, students and those leaving school with a comprehensive description of career options in the industry, including the pathways currently available.
They regularly engage in discussions with members to make them aware of opportunities to increase take up of School-based New Apprentices.
For more information visit the Printing Industries Association of Australia's website.
The Australian Retailers Association has conducted industry surveys and interviews to determine current knowledge and participation in vocational education and training in schools. This programme has fed into the consideration and delivery of vocational education and training in schools information to industry.
They are providing opportunities to teachers to better understand industry views on vocational education. Incentives are in place to inform students and parents about careers pathways including specific marketing initiatives. The ARA has examined industry gaps and future needs. The ARA continues to research the needs of the Retail industry.
For more information visit the Australian Retailers Association’s website.
Master Builders Australia has been working closely with its members, industry stakeholders including kindred industry associations, schools, parents and business associations to develop communication protocols to promote vocational education in schools.
Master Builders Australia uses its extensive network of offices to encourage employers to host young people on their sites and deliver structured workplace learning.
The Master Builders are working closely with appropriate government authorities to seek a safety-net wage for young people participating in School-based New Apprenticeships.
Master Builders has a well developed National Training Advisory Committee structure that drives all policy, including vocational education in schools policy. The School-based New Apprenticeships Programme in the ACT has been very successful, particularly the ACT Indigenous Project.
The Master Builders Association, in conjunction with the Housing Industry Association, has pursed the development of a high class career website named Big Plans which encourages young people to view a vocation in the building industry as a life long opportunity.
For more information visit the Master Builders Australia's website.
Restaurant and Catering Australia has been promoting the features and benefits of vocational education in schools via their national magazine and also via regional restaurant and catering publications.
It is undertaking a national Cooks Roadshow to encourage young people to enter the commercial cookery industry in an effort to address a national skills shortage created by the burgeoning industry.
A teachers’ page has been developed on the organisation’s website and there are incentives for teachers to register.
For more information please visit Restaurant and Catering Australia's website.
The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has been promoting the AHA School2Work Program and has developed a variety of strategies to increase the level of awareness of schools and students about vocational education in the hospitality industry.
The AHA has created a variety of student and employer promotional materials, for example a School to Work students and employers brochure, pens and a PowerPoint presentation as a way to capture attention. They have also used real-life demonstrations at career fairs, for example a popular cooking demonstration by apprentice chefs.
AHA has found a one-on-one approach to be highly effective in increasing interest in the School2Work program. The AHA directs much effort into briefing teachers on their programme and their industry before they speak to students.
The AHA is developing an innovative School2Work website which will contain sections on new developments, new initiatives, education, training and employment news and case studies. AHA members will be able to lodge new positions for trainees online that students can access. AHA members will also be able to access online resumes provided by students in a secure server environment.
In presentations made to students by the AHA detail the employability skills needed in the industry.
For more information visit the Australian Hotels Association’s website.
The National Electrical and Communications Association is actively involved with peak industry groups and have developed policy related to business requirements for the industry. This includes industry skills shortages. They are increasing awareness of opportunities for vocational education in schools through articles in national and state newsletters, industry journals and reports to their National Council.
The association is promoting vocational education in schools pathways for students interested in their industry. They have developed a website to provide information on careers in the industry.
For more information visit the National Electrical and Communications Association’s website .