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G BookmarksWorkforce skills boost for Western Australians
Thousands of Western Australian workers and employers will benefit from a $2 million expansion of the State's skills recognition program, addressing current and emerging skill shortages by streamlining and improving the recognition process.
With Australian Bureau of Statistics figures indicating that some 41 per cent of workers in the trades in WA lack formal qualifications, the expanded program will utilise the skills and capacity of the existing workforce to address labour demand in the traditional trades.
Skills recognition helps experienced yet unqualified workers - some of whom have amassed decades of practical on the job experience - to gain formal qualifications without having to complete a whole course. It also helps in identifying gaps in their skills and experience which they can then address and take their career to the next level. This in turn contributes to higher standards and quality of work, and a more efficient use of skilled labour by employers and industry.
Successful skills recognition programs such as Fast Track have helped about 1,000 older Western Australians on the path to trade qualifications since 2002.
The new funding will streamline and simplify the current skills recognition process by:
- introducing simplified assessment processes and less red tape, prioritising the trades with the greatest skill shortages
- assessing candidates on the job during work time
- providing continued funding for the Fast Track apprenticeship program for older workers seeking assistance to develop additional skills and gain a trade qualification.
The WA State Government is committed to transforming the training system to make it more responsive, flexible and efficient, and has invested an additional $190 million in this area since February 2005.
For more information visit www.det.wa.gov.au/training or phone 08 9264 4111
This page was generated on 11 February, 2010
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