Skills & Knowledge you will learn View Details
Tuesday, 28 March 2022
VICTORIANS STARTING APPRENTICESHIPS IN RECORD NUMBERS
The Andrews Labor Government’s record investment in skills and training is continuing to support growing
numbers of Victorians into apprenticeships and meaningful career pathways, bolstering industries across the state.
The latest National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) report shows Victoria leading the nation with the highest increase in apprenticeship commencements, doubling to almost 50,000 Victorians in the 12 months to September 2021. More than 9,500 apprentices began in Victoria in the September quarter alone.
Some of the most popular apprenticeships were Automotive and Engineering, with a 141.7 per cent increase, and Electrotechnology and Telecommunications, with a 177.3 per cent increase.
The Labor Government is also giving more Victorians access to skills and training, with the NCVER report showing the number of female apprentices and trainees has increased by 71.7 per cent – a direct result of initiatives like the Government’s $5 million fund to remove barriers faced by women in traditionally male-dominated trades.
The Government is continuing to back great apprenticeship pathways for Victorian jobseekers, including by
establishing Apprenticeships Victoria, which is a point of contact for apprentices and connects the dots between trainers, employers and industry.
The $33 million Big Build Apprenticeships program is providing 1,500 opportunities to Victorian apprentices and trainees each year for four years to kickstart their careers on some of the state’s largest projects, including the new Footscray Hospital, North East Link and Warrnambool Learning and Library Hub.
The Government is also enhancing the quality of training and making it more industry-relevant by recruiting experts as TAFE teachers under the TAFE Teacher Training Scholarship, with study assistance worth $10,000.
Since 2014, the Government has made a record $3.2 billion investment to rebuild TAFE and support universities and higher education to ensure Victorians have access to high quality education and rewarding career pathways.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney
“Our TAFE and training system is world-class and ensures Victorians are job-ready for meaningful careers – so it’s not surprising that more people are signing-up to apprenticeships and traineeships than anywhere in Australia.”
“Only a Labor Government will keep backing the skills and training system in Victoria – because we know that it provides great opportunities to jobseekers, building a pipeline of skilled workers for industries across the state.”
Skills & Knowledge you will learn View Details
During high school, Megan Cox thought she would continue the well-trodden path of completing her HSC and then enrolling in an undergraduate degree before beginning her career.
“I didn’t think you could be successful without going to university,” she said.
After attending a future of female leadership forum, Megan discovered an interest in IT, leading her to professional services firm PwC’s High Apprenticeship Program.
“I really loved the idea that I could work and study at the same time,” she said.
The two-year program sees high school graduates obtain a Diploma of IT while working for PwC. Megan applied and was accepted, starting in 2020.
Megan was one of many high school leavers starting an apprenticeship last year. In 2020 commencements reached a five year high.
Universities have seen a more mixed response. The University Admissions Centre (UAC), which handles admissions for universities in NSW and the ACT, saw an increase of 10,000 domestic students applying between 2018 and 2020. The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC), which processes applications for universities, TAFEs and independent colleges in Victoria, saw a drop in applications over the same period.
Read more:Keen sports fans and hobbyists see their after-school activities change due to COVID
For those accepted to higher study in 2020, classes and training were disrupted by lockdowns. For Megan, this meant her classes and work had to be conducted from home.
“It was hard because I had just started building connections with all of my cohort,” she recalled.
To fill the gap, Megan started virtual lunches and drinks to stay connected to her fellow apprentices at PwC.
“I didn’t want COVID to ruin the fact that we had just started to be friends.”
Approaching the end of her program, Megan is glad she decided to pursue an internship.
“By the end of this program, I will have two industry-recognised qualifications and two years of work experience, whereas my friends at university will have two years of learning,” she said. “It’s going to make me stand out and look a lot better on the resume.”
Applications made to University Admissions Centre (UAC) for NSW and ACT and Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) for Victoria over the past three years.
UAC total applications 2018: 59,143 2019: 64,443 2020: 69,602
VTAC Total applications 2018: 68,457 2019: 64,506 2020: 65,332
UAC year 12 2018: 38,964 for NSW – 2,263 for ACT 2019: 39,132 for NSW – 1,844 for ACT 2020: 41,287 for NSW – 1,874 for ACT
VTAC year 12 2018: 52,280 2019: 49,590 2020: 50,780
UAC Non-Year 12 applicants 2018: 16,177 2019: 15,083 2020: 14,552
VTAC Non-Year 12 applicants 2018: 16,177 2019: 15,083 2020: 14,552
