Real Apprenticeships wanted

Date: 11 October 2001

The Coalition's education policy released yesterday does not give young people the boost into jobs that it suggests.

Linda Simon, Secretary of the NSW TAFE Teachers Association said; " The Coalition's education policy released yesterday does not give young people the boost into jobs that it suggests."

"The only new money that is there for apprenticeships and traineeships, is incentive funding to employers to take on school based New Apprentices. There is no money to provide the educational support in schools or TAFE colleges that these young people undertaking such apprenticeships would need."

"The reality is that in 2000, $220 million that had been allocated by the Government for employer incentives to take on post-school apprenticeships and traineeships, was not taken up. These apprenticeships are generally more attractive to employers than school-based apprenticeships."

"As usual, the Coalition policy looks as though additional money is being used to support young people into jobs, when if they really wanted to provide assistance, the funding would go to schools and colleges to ensure that young people were able to gain the skills and qualifications that employers require."

"Employers are telling us that they want extra funding put into pre-apprenticeship and pre-vocational programs in TAFE colleges. These courses provide young people with those initial skills so important in the workplace. But the cuts in funding to TAFE colleges over the last five years, over $240 million plus cuts to Labour Market Programs, has meant that many of these courses are no longer offered."

"Both major parties must make real commitments to the education and training of young people in Australia, and support for apprenticeships and traineeships. The Coalition policy does not do this."

For further information

Contact:	John Hughes
Union:	NSW Teachers Federation
Phone:	0418 423834
Fax:	61-2-9217 2470
Email:	mail@nswtf.org.au
WWW:	http://www.nswtf.org.au/

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