Prime Minister launches program for new skills training places
The Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP has officially launched the Productivity Places Program to fund an initial 20,000 new skills training places from 1 April 2008. The Prime Minister’s media release can be accessed from his website.
The Productivity Places Program will provide 450,000 training places over the next four years to ensure that Australians develop the skills that industry needs.
Training organisations are being invited to be part of this initiative to build a stronger and more productive Australia.
If your organisation is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), you are invited to apply to be part of this exciting opportunity.
The training starts in April, with 20,000 training places being funded for job seekers. Training for job seekers during this stage will be at the Certificate II and III levels.
To be a part of this new opportunity, RTOs are to register their details and complete the online application form which can be accessed via www.dest.gov.au/productivityplaces.htm from 7 March 2008 through to 30 June 2008. RTOs should familiarise themselves with the Request to Participate, Draft Contract and Draft Guidelines.
Free employability resources are now available
A set of free resources on employability skills is now available to the VET sector at the following temporary website: http://www.employabilityskillsresources.com
The resources will be moved to http://training.com.au in the near future.
The resources were designed for widespread distribution across, and use within, the Vocational Education and Training Sector.
The resources include:
- six professional development resources
- three pamphlets, one for learners, one for employers and one for RTOs
- nine articles with an accompanying PowerPoint presentation.
These resources are products of a project conducted by the National Quality Council from late 2006 – early 2008 on employability skills. The project involved the development and piloting of an approach for assessing and reporting on employability skills in Training Packages and the development of a professional development strategy and associated resources for implementing that approach.
The project also involved the development and initiation of a communication strategy, which resulted in the development of the articles and pamphlets.
Australian Apprenticeships Training Information Service Website Surveys - Log on to “Have your say…”
The Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations funded Australian Apprenticeships Training (AAT) Information Service wants your feedback on the two websites it operates:
Each website is running a site specific survey. Simply go to one or both of the sites and click on ‘Complete our Survey’ to have your say. We have kept the surveys brief so that they should take just a few minutes to complete.
Your feedback will be used to help keep the websites focused on your Australian Apprenticeships training information and resource needs.
The surveys will remain open until 31 March 2008.
If you need further information contact the AAT Information Service on 1800 338 022.
The Australian Apprenticeships roundtable will be held in Canberra on 2 - 4 June 2008
The Australian Apprenticeships Roundtable provides a collaborative forum for Australian Apprentices to advise the Australian Government of issues affecting them.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations is currently seeking expressions of interest from persons wishing to participate on this Roundtable. If you are an Australian Apprentice or know of an Australian Apprentice who may be interested in being involved, please contact Maree Ashley on (02) 6240 8218 or maree.ashley@deewr.gov.au.
Fast Facts subscription tell a colleague or a friend
Australian Training Fast Facts, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relation’s fortnightly one-page newsletter, has a new format, and subscription and delivery system.
If you know anyone who would like to be kept informed of what’s happening in the VET Sector, send them a copy of this newsletter for their information. If you would like to subscribe, please see easy to follow instructions below.
1. Go to www.dest.gov.au/dss/ - please read the instructions then press the 'Continue' button
2. Enter your email address in the email form field then press the 'Continue' button
3. A confirmation email will be sent to the email address you entered
4. Click the link in the email to activate your account. A list of departmental newsletters will be displayed
5. Select FAST FACTS (and any other newsletter(s) of interest to you)
6. Click the 'Save changes' button at the bottom of the page
7. Your details will be added to the database and you will regularly receive Australian Training Fast Facts and any other new newsletter(s) you have selected.
For more information visit www.dest.gov.au/dss/