CHAPTER 5
EDUCATION & TRAINING FOR THE REGIONS
The importance of training in the changing employment landscape
5.1 Any considerations of regional enterprise and employment need to
take account of educational and training opportunities. Australia has
a long tradition of aiming at providing equal educational opportunities
to those living in non-metropolitan areas. Whatever limitations may be
cited of centralised school and TAFE college systems, there is no doubt
of the achievement of a large measure of educational equity.
5.2 The Committee noted that in nearly all places where the issue was
raised, local and regional communities were pleased with their schools
and TAFE colleges. The Committee heard of many successful innovations
in school-to-work transition programs, which have the potential to reduce
youth unemployment. However, the Committee also found that the provision
of educational services, like any other government service, was not always
quick to respond to changing work opportunities and populations.
5.3 Although the Committee did not engage in a full scale investigation
of educational facilities and training opportunities, it found the issue
raised at various stages of its inquiry. In brief, the Committee discovered
that:
- employment education had assumed increased importance because of a
diminished demand for unskilled and semi-skilled labour;
- there were skill shortages in a number of regions;
- the emergence of group training companies and school based VET had
been a positive development in some regions;
- the best solutions were `bottom-up' initiatives where the programs
were designed around local employment opportunities;
- group training programs and the New Apprenticeship Scheme were generally
considered successful but the evidence suggested that they did
not necessarily lead to quality training; and
- TAFE colleges were becoming more highly attuned to local and regional
needs and to potential economic developments.
Changing times and changing labour markets
5.4 Rapid technological and societal changes have had a flow-through
effect on employment. Jobs have changed, and this is reflected in a strong
demand for particular types of skilled labour. High rates of youth unemployment
have added to the pressure to get the supply side of training right.
5.5 Whereas once there was significant demand for unskilled workers within
the agriculture and manufacturing industries, there are now fewer of these
jobs available. Rural regions are the last bastions of businesses using
unskilled labour, but even here the demand is weak and the trend diminishing.
Education and training for employment has therefore taken on an importance
and urgency unknown in previous years.
In 1904 some 30 per cent to 35 per cent of labour worked on the farm.
In 1994, the figure – which is the last one I have seen –
is three percent. That was 90 years of change. In the next 10 to 20
years the change is going to be a lot faster than in the last 90 years.
[1]
5.6 In a more job competitive society people with higher levels of skill
and education are moving into apprenticeships and occupations which previously
had lower entry points. This pushes people of lesser skills and education
down the employment ladder to compete for fewer jobs than ever before.
The need for increased international competitiveness and the lesser numbers
of unskilled jobs available highlights the need to develop a more highly
skilled workforce.
5.7 Pressures for increased competitiveness have also necessitated the
lifting of the expectations many employers have of their entry level staff.
They now expect their staff to be able to attain some level of productivity
from day one on the job.
The concept that a trainee is a useful employee right from day one
is a misnomer. A building contractor will not take on a trainee if they
are completely green. Why? Because there is a loss of productivity that
takes place. An employer who is trying to start up a new industry in
the region cannot start that industry up unless they have got skilled
people to some degree who are able to work right from the start. [2]
5.8 The most significant declines in employment have been in manufacturing
and agriculture. These have been accompanied by an increased demand for
labour in the service sector areas. A recent ABS report based on 1996
census results reveals that 74 percent of the Australian workforce are
now employed in service industries. [3] The
trend has continued for two decades now and is expected to continue.
5.9 The following table illustrates the trends in changes to skilled
occupational groups taken from the Skilled Vacancy Survey (SVS) of advertised
vacancies. [4] As expected, the computing sector
showed the greatest increase in demand over a ten year period, at 298
percent. The demand for chefs, another service occupation, was also markedly
high, representing an increase of 195 percent over the ten-year period.
The volatile changes in the construction trades are reflective of the
highly cyclical nature of demand in that industry.
Percentage Change in SVS Index, Occupational Groups, to April 1998
[5]
| Occupation |
10 years |
5 years |
2 years |
1 year |
| Professionals |
| Science |
-8.3 |
64.2 |
12.7 |
-13.6 |
| Building and Engineering |
-23.2 |
93.0 |
-18.7 |
-10.0 |
| Accountants and Auditors |
-11.3 |
139.9 |
-2.6 |
6.6 |
| Marketing and advertising |
44.2 |
48.5 |
-27.1 |
-13.6 |
| Computing |
298.4 |
334.0 |
79.3 |
104.3 |
| Organisation and Information |
62.2 |
136.9 |
21.3 |
11.7 |
| Health |
-31.2 |
24.4 |
-10.5 |
-20.4 |
| Social |
16.4 |
75.0 |
36.8 |
0.6 |
| Associate Professionals |
| Medical & Science Technical Officers |
19.2 |
140.6 |
134.9 |
149.9 |
| Building and Engineering Associates |
-40.1 |
105.4 |
-10.9 |
14.7 |
| Chefs |
195.1 |
268.1 |
100.4 |
100.4 |
| Trades |
| Metal |
-42.2 |
146.2 |
-23.2 |
-3.4 |
| Automotive |
-42.1 |
95.6 |
-3.2 |
15.9 |
| Electrical and Electronic |
-26.1 |
193.4 |
4.0 |
12.9 |
| Construction |
-26.9 |
305.0 |
262.3 |
129.1 |
| Food |
-40.7 |
-2.0 |
-44.7 |
-46.9 |
| Printing |
-46.5 |
30.4 |
1.0 |
10.5 |
| Wood |
-36.7 |
210.9 |
65.7 |
75.8 |
| Hairdressers |
43.5 |
81.6 |
20.4 |
16.9 |
| |
| Professionals |
23.7 |
120.6 |
16.4 |
15.5 |
| Associate Professionals |
-20.1 |
195.0 |
39.1 |
87.7 |
| Trades |
-26.1 |
141.4 |
20.1 |
25.6 |
| Total |
-4.4 |
133.6 |
19.3 |
23.1 |
5.10 The table below reveals the extent of the disparity in recent employment
growth in particular industry groups over a five year period. In metropolitan
Australia the average contribution from the services sector was more than
five times higher than the next, and coincidently most closely related
sector, retail trade. By contrast, the agriculture, mining and manufacturing
sectors experienced little or no growth. Similar trends were seen in non-metropolitan
regions during this period.
INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTION TO TOTAL EMPLOYMENT GROWTH BY STATE METROPOLITAN
AND NON-METROPOLITAN AREAS, NOVEMBER 1992 TO NOVEMBER 1997
(percentage points)
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey [6]
5.11 Another change to the employment landscape that impacts upon training
issues has been a trend away from full time permanent jobs towards casual
and contracted labour. A recent report by the South Australian Employee
Ombudsman, Mr Gary Collis, said the increased focus on casual labour had
brought about job insecurity and lower working conditions. One area highlighted
was the avoidance of training responsibilities by employers using contracted
and casual labour. [7]
5.12 Much of the evidence given to the Committee also pointed to a decline
in the numbers of apprenticeships. The restructuring of the domestic training
market in Australia, undertaken by successive governments, has resulted
in a fall in four-year apprenticeship numbers in recent years, mostly
in traditional trade-based apprenticeships. The Committee notes, however,
that the decline in traditional apprenticeships has, however, been accompanied
by a substantial increase in the number of trainees in structured training.
Many of these trainees are receiving training in trade-based areas, suggesting
that the overall level of trade training in Australia is increasing rather
than declining. [8]
5.13 A recent government initiative, introduced in 1996-97, has been
the New Apprenticeships Scheme. New Apprenticeships are designed to reflect
more accurately the modern labour market and the needs of business and
industry, and offer a level of diversity not found under the old 3 or
4 year apprenticeship system. The Committee notes, however, that some
of the evidence put to the Committee indicates some concern
about the quality of training as a result of the growth in traineeships.
In a public hearing in Melbourne on the GST Inquiry, representatives of
Group Training Australia indicated that compared to the traditional 4-year
apprenticeship, a person today would need to complete 3 or 4 successive
traineeships to achieve similar skill levels. [9]
Skill shortages
5.14 Skills shortages exist even in times of high unemployment. While
they have obvious short-term labour force implications, they also raise
longer term training issues. The challenge is to not only seek to prevent
their occurrence but also to see people trained and relocated where necessary
to overcome these shortages.
5.15 One submission cited surveys of employers in the metal and engineering
and the aeroskills sectors which regularly revealed serious skills shortages
in areas of high unemployment. [10] A perceived
decline in the numbers of traditional trade-based apprenticeships was
said by many witnesses to have compounded this problem and dominated much
evidence given to the Committee regarding skills shortages.
5.16 The clearest message the Committee heard in regard to skills shortages
was the need for research. Many regions were aware of the need to do a
detailed skills audit but lacked the human and financial resources to
undertake such a project. As a representative of the Fremantle City Council
told the Committee:
… there is a real need for support and resourcing through local
governments to get a better understanding on the supply side in relation
to unemployment so that we can begin, in a more comprehensive way, to
try to match jobs with the unemployed. [11]
5.17 A skills audit would be of interest not only to job providers and
seekers, but business people in their consideration of future expansion
and development of new industries. It could also be used by universities
and training organisations to assist them in training personnel in anticipation
of future skills shortages.
Skills shortages and the labour force
5.18 In the short-term, skills shortages require the relocation of people
with appropriate skills. The Committee was told of two examples where
shortages resulted in workers being recruited from abroad. In Melbourne,
despite its high unemployment rate, one company had to recruit first-class
tool makers from Portugal. In Australia there are few tool making training
courses available, and those that exist provide only limited opportunities.
[12]
5.19 In the second example, a reduction in funding for universities was
cited as a contributing factor to skills shortages in the mining industry.
In the mid 1970's there were three institutions in Australia which taught
hard rock mining and metallurgy. Within two years from the date on which
the last of these closed, the skill shortage was so acute that immigration
restrictions on these categories were completely lifted. [13]
5.20 The Committee heard of many other examples of skill shortages. In
the Murray Valley in Victoria, for instance, they ranged from shortages
of motor and diesel mechanics to dairy and horticulture workers. The success
of the expanding horticulture industry was also said to be creating shortages
in the service and retail sectors. Impediments to filling these vacancies
included the high cost of housing in Swan Hill, overcoming workers reluctance
to move away from the city, and overcoming negative perceptions of certain
types of employment.
5.21 In the Murray Valley, horticulture suffered from a labour shortage
because the work was considered too onerous. It was said that when many
people heard the word horticulture a mental picture of picking grapes
in 45 degree heat and poor living conditions came to mind. However, the
variety of jobs and career paths available refuted this image. [14]
5.22 Transport was also an issue raised by witnesses as a problem that
hindered the unemployed from gaining employment much beyond their immediate
location. Witnesses from the Murray Valley expressed a desire for more
relaxed guidelines for relocation packages to entice workers to move to
areas of skills shortages. They quoted an example of a skill shortage
where they were able to locate someone suitable who was willing to move
to the area. At the time, DEETYA refused relocation assistance on the
basis that someone must be suitable in the local area. Despite every effort,
however, they had been unable to fill the vacancy locally. [15]
5.23 Under the Job Network, travel allowances for the unemployed are
now available only at the job providers discretion. This does not guarantee
that they will be granted assistance in looking for employment in another
location.
5.24 A recent report, Australian Employment and Unemployment Patterns
1994-1996, found that 34 per cent of jobseekers were willing to move
interstate for work. [16] The Committee notes recent controversy concerning
the expectations of the government about labour mobility. It believes
that while mobility between jobs within a geographic proximity is high,
the relocation rate is much less so for obvious economic and social reasons.
It recognises the value to the economy of a mobile workforce and recommends
that the Commonwealth investigate strategies to facilitate the provision
of structured training opportunities and the implementation of appropriate
accredited training packages to alleviate skill shortages in regional
areas.
5.25 As the Committee heard, the availability of skilled labour is also
an important consideration in the decision making process of businesses
to relocate. [17] A report by the Industry Commission found 57
per cent of firms considered the supply of skilled labour to be a significant
factor in relocation decisions. [18]
Skills shortages and training
5.26 In the longer term, skills shortages raise significant training
issues, particularly in non-metropolitan regions. A recent Victorian Industry
Training Advisory Board (ITAB) report, On the Brink of Crisis?,
although written specifically for the engineering and manufacturing sectors
in Victoria, captured some of the main issues concerning skills shortages
and training across Australia. These included:
- there appears to have been a significant reduction in engineering
and manufacturing apprenticeship commencements throughout Australia
(with an acknowledgment that apprenticeship statistics in Australia
are generally inadequate);
- a lack of industry confidence in the future of manufacturing is retarding
skills development;
- many trades have a low image and are often only seen as a last resort
by young people;
- increased trends towards outsourcing and the use of labour hire companies
are leading to shorter and less predictable contract periods which are
unconducive to training, while labour hire companies (although not group
training companies) contribute little to the training needs of society;
- the demise of technical schools in Victoria has not been adequately
compensated for by the recent increased level of vocational preparation
in secondary schools, particularly in the promotion of engineering trades;
- the average age of entry to apprenticeships has increased to 18-19
years due to increased school retention, presenting a disincentive towards
trades training because of the comparatively higher wages of other (albeit
unskilled) occupations available to this age group; and
- changing government policy has seen government agencies cease to be
a major employer of apprentices, while the reduction of incentives for
the employment of apprentices has often been interpreted by industry
as representing a lack of government interest and support. [19]
5.27 Metropolitan regions also suffer image problems in relation to training.
In the north western suburbs of Melbourne a representative of the North
West Area Consultative Committee told the Committee that some apprenticeships
were said to be considered unattractive.
… the other thing is that they cannot get applicants to apply
for certain apprenticeships because they are not as attractive as they
were in their day. Now, I do not know whether the expectations of some
of the unemployed or some of the youth are different today than what
they were, but in areas of boilermakers and what have you, apprenticeship
group schemes, where the employers mainly go to get their apprentices
from … have shortages. … Whether it is wages and conditions,
or whether it is that a perception of some of the youth not really appreciating
where a job could lead to when you start off at this level, and not
seeing a career path, makes it less attractive. [20]
5.28 A number of witnesses suggested more effective marketing of some
trades was required to make them more appealing to school leavers and
the unemployed. People have learnt through experience that particular
industries do not offer stable employment and will therefore be reluctant
recruits.
What we have found in the last few years is that there has actually
been a resurgence in the TCF industry. They have stabilised; they have
taken on best practice, benchmarking, and so there was actually a resurgence
of jobs. But the problem was many of the people who were in the industry
had left the industry and were not returning and there was a big skill
shortage in rejuvenating that industry. [21]
5.29 Transport was also an issue that limited the ability of the unemployed
to attend training courses. As with relocation assistance, the fact that
travel allowances are generally now available only at the job providers
discretion does not guarantee the unemployed will be granted access to
training courses in other locations.
The relevance of training
5.30 The ultimate aim of either school based VET or job training schemes
for the unemployed is to equip people for employment. Evidence from witnesses
and from submissions has made it clear that, whatever the program, training
must be relevant to local needs if job placement objectives are to be
realised. This stood out as the single most important factor.
What I meant is that although many programs are well intended, I do
not think they have been sufficiently related to the structural changes
occurring where work is [locally] available and not related enough to
where it could really make a difference. [22]
… some of the training is not relevant to what the needs are in
the sector, I think. Some of the training needs to be on a higher level,
a more sophisticated level, more in tune with the trends in hospitality
and tourism. Some of it is there but it is just too basic. [23]
5.31 The Committee heard evidence that where labour market programs were
designed specifically for local conditions the result was high job placement
rates. Mr Gerard McLean from the Illawarra Area Consultative Committee
informed the Committee that:
In the construction phase for the BHP/Esso oil rig platforms in the
Illawarra some three or four years ago, there was an opportunity to
put in place a range of programs to assist people to develop skills
in things like concreting, scaffolding, rigging and specialist welding
type areas and to link them directly into those projects as they came
on stream. The outcome rate for those types of training programs was
significantly higher than the program average. I recall 70 percent to
80 percent of those people getting jobs with that employer as a result
of that training, compared with perhaps – and according to DEETYA's
source – a 33 percent outcome for the overall program. [24]
Inter-governmental and community cooperation
5.32 Making training relevant requires input from the various levels
of government and local businesses in project design, and flexibility
in program implementation. In evidence received by the Committee, the
need for this level of cooperation was an issue that arose repeatedly.
5.33 A member of the South East Economic Development Board in South Australian
quoted the close relationship between government, local community and
business as the reason for its successful vocational education and training
programs. They stressed the need for local government involvement in the
planning stage and lamented that much `funding related to national skill
shortages is totally irrelevant to regional needs…'. [25]
Regions see their economies more holistically than government departments
and tiers operate. Inflexible programs which set guidelines unrelated
to regional needs without real consultation and recognition of the decision
making ability of the people in the region do not make wise use of resources.
For example, good business ideas which focus on niche markets are not
seen as a good risk by government departments which do not take the
advice of skilled people in the region. [26]
5.34 They also stressed that labour market training programs of a suitable
duration, at least six months, which `include strong components of structured,
accredited training relevant to the local work force needs, produce work
ready people'. [27] Without such locally relevant
courses many may slip into the long term unemployed category.
5.35 Their frustration with the lack of coordination between governments
on training issues was evident.
The board has been very active in trying to get solutions for our region,
but it comes back to snags in development requirements, trying to explain
to somebody who is not even listening to the advice of the region or
believes that the region is not able to make decisions. [28]
5.36 Dr Ian Falk from the Centre for Research and Learning in Regional
Australia supported this view, saying that the issue was more than governments
simply providing funding. Stakeholders involvement in the planning processes
for training programs was important because it would lead to better employment
outcomes.
It has become absolutely crystal clear from research that, unless you
involve all the stakeholders, you will not get a sustainable [employment]
outcome. You might get a temporary one. [29]
5.37 As previously noted, the availability of skilled labour can be an
important factor in business relocation, and can have significant longer
term effects on regional economies. The economic impact of a company moving
into a region exceeds the number of jobs directly created. It includes
expenditure in setting up and maintaining an office, and the multiplier
effect of wages being spent within the community. As has been successfully
done in Elizabeth, cooperation between governments, ACCs and local business
people could facilitate the training of skilled labour specifically to
entice businesses to begin or move into a region. [30]
This approach has the dual effect of reducing local unemployment and being
a stimulant to the local economy.
5.38 The Committee noted evidence from DEWRSB that previous labour market
programs such as Jobskills, LEAP and New Work Opportunities have been
cashed out and put into fees for Job Network providers with the intention
that this will enable local providers to determine what training programs
they run. [31] At the time, the Committee heard
concerns that there is no compulsion for providers to spend money on training,
that the training is limited to FLEX 3 clients, and that in many cases
the providers are not locally based. Their knowledge of, and concern for,
the local area may, in some instances, be questionable and unproven, whereas
it was unquestionable for many formerly funded community groups. The Committee
expects that a considered judgement on the training aspects of Job Network
will be possible after the release of the Government's `Implementation
Report on Job Network'.
5.39 The Committee acknowledges that a key objective of Job Network is
to provide jobseekers with assistance which is relevant to local job opportunities.
The Committee was concerned by evidence it received of an apparent reduction
in training under the Job Network, especially given the importance of
training in the `knowledge society'. The majority of the Committee recommends
that an independent monitoring body (similar to the former Employment
Services Regulatory Authority) be established to oversee the operation
of Job Network, and monitor such issues as training provision, and make
regular public reports.
5.40 Government senators are of the view that the monitoring of Job Network
should remain the responsibility of DEWRSB, with provision for regular
reports to Parliament.
School vocational education
5.41 The importance of school based VET programs is particularly pertinent
in the face of changing unemployment demographics and the nature of the
school population. In some areas with a high rate of long-term unemployment,
the school VET program may be the only exposure some students have to
a work culture. If parents and grandparents have been unemployed for most
of a child's life, a VET program becomes vital in exposing that child
to the world of work. Evidence to the Committee indicates that this is
an increasing problem.
I think what we have got to realise in Australia is that unemployment
is now very different from what it was back in the 1970's and certainly
different from what it was in the 1930's. For the first time ever in
Australia – and our data supports this a little bit – not
only is unemployment sticking in regions, however you define them, but
it is now becoming intergenerational. That is the first time, to my
knowledge, that research is now showing that for Australia. [32]
5.42 One witness submitted that 30 percent of their school population
came from homes of first and second generation unemployed. [33]
Another witness referred to the same school and estimated that the effect
of their VET courses was to see an extra 300 students complete year 12
and continue on into TAFE who would otherwise have dropped out after year
10. [34] This helps to improve their chances
of getting a job and breaking the inter-generational unemployment trap.
5.43 The past decade has seen a growing recognition of the importance
of vocational education and training in schools. School retention rates
rose steadily through the 1980's and into the early 1990's. Secondary
schools are seeing a new role for themselves in preparing students for
work. Encouraging academic achievement has traditionally been the most
important goal for schools. Increased retention rates have changed the
nature of the school population, and the disinclination of all but a minority
of students to undertake university studies has forced schools to re-examine
their priorities.
5.44 Many apprenticeships which require a minimum of year 10 now expect
year 12 qualifications. Although retention rates are now declining, it
is likely that this reflects recent improvements in the labour market.
This again, however, emphasises the importance of school to work pathways.
Incorporating VET in year 10 would serve the dual purpose of making school
more appealing to students who currently see it as irrelevant, thereby
improving retention rates, and assisting in preparing students to be more
suitable and job-ready employees.
5.45 School retention rates are traditionally lower in non-metropolitan
regional areas than in the capital cities. There are also variations among
the states and territories, with Western Australia and the Northern Territory
showing the highest attrition rate for students beyond year 10. In Tasmania,
the attrition rate for students who are geographically isolated is being
addressed by the state government through programs developing stronger
links between school, training and work. [35]
5.46 The Committee heard from witnesses in Swan Hill that the introduction
of VET programs in years 8 to 10 will have particular impact upon the
Aboriginal community. Low retention rates mean that most Aboriginal youth
are prevented from participating in the programs under the provision of
VET to years 11 and 12. [36]
5.47 The Committee was fortunate to encounter at Noarlunga in South Australia
and at Kwinana in Western Australia two examples of innovative and successful
initiatives in linking school education to the workplace. Willunga High
School in South Australia conducts a very successful VET course (see box
1 below). Of their graduates last year, all but two students were successful
in gaining employment or continuing to further education. [37]
Their success is attributed to tailoring their courses to meet local needs
and opportunities. The Kwinana example is a more ambitious concern, linking
a number of secondary schools with local industry (see box 2 below).
5.48 Importantly, participation by students in VET courses does not exclude
university as an option. This was a problem with past technical courses
(although the new arrangements still assume only a small minority of final
year students in country and regional secondary schools will have an interest
in proceeding to university).
5.49 In regions of high unemployment where there are, or will be, skills
shortages, priority funding could be given to vocational training to expose
young people to occupations in demand and to give them some grounding
and experience in those occupations. This is exactly what Willunga High
School has done.
We still offer a traditional curriculum, but within our senior school
curriculum, we have embedded VET, vocational education training modules
so that our students get dual credit. It means they get credit for the
industry modules or industry curriculum as well as their traditional
SACE curriculum. We have chosen VET modules that skill kids for industries
related to our local area. We have not offered aeroplane training or
things like that when there is not a plane within cooee of us. We have
concentrated our resources in areas like viticulture, hospitality, tourism
and horticulture, which are pertinent to employment in our local area.
[38]
Box 1 - Case study on VET in schools: Willunga High School, Noarlunga,
SA [39]
| Willunga High School was faced with excessive behaviour
management problems with their `time out' room bulging to the extent
that they opened a second `time out' room. Low retention rates and
vandalism were also a problem. The staff, with the support of the
district superintendent, took some radical steps to change the relevance
of education to the youth of their district with an increased focus
on VET.
A senior school for Grades 10 – 12 was created and structured
around an ethos that encourages students to accept more responsibility
for their learning and future. The curriculum includes one compulsory
unit of Work Education for SACE Stage 1 students. With a strong
and locally relevant VET focus the school combines both academic
and vocational education so students can experience both without
limiting their options for the future. The structure of the school
day has changed to three 100 minute lessons per day which allows
students to attend on-the-job placements. The structure of the VET
course is flexible to work around peak times in the relevant industries.
The students develop a portfolio including photographs, work log
books, Statements of Attainment from TAFE, resumes, and references
to assist them in applying for jobs or higher education.
Students are vitally involved in the management of the school's
six businesses and receive SACE accreditation for their participation.
They are required to give written and verbal business reports to
industry personnel at business forums.
TAFE, Retailing SA, local industries and business all have strong
links to the school including input in the school's management committee
and sponsorship of the school's businesses. Willunga High School
is a registered training organisation for the delivery of Certificates
1, 2, and 3 in Viticulture, and they have an agreement with Retailing
SA to deliver retail industry competencies. Professional development
of school managers and teaching staff is given high priority with
most staff being trained to the level of workplace category 2 trainers
[under the former National Skills Development Program] and a continuing
commitment to regular attendance at workshops to keep skills up
to date. Where appropriate the teachers are released to do a six
to eight week on-the-job training block.
After consultation with local businesses the school discovered
employers main concern with employing young people was their communication
skills and OH&S issues. The Noarlunga Health Service worked
with the school to develop a workbook and resource pack for the
delivery of compulsory OH&S modules and a Rural Safety Web Site
was also developed. Two generic Industry Accredited Communication
modules and a Basic Casualty Care first aid module are also embedded
in the curriculum.
The results have been dramatic. Thirty-eight percent of 1997 graduates
applied for and were successful in obtaining admission to higher
education. Of the remainder, only two were unsuccessful in obtaining
employment. The results are all the more remarkable given that thirty
percent of the school population comes from homes of first and second
generation unemployed. Grade 12 retention rates have risen to around
85-90 percent. Coincidently, behaviour management problems and vandalism
are now virtually non-existent.
|
5.50 In this competitive era, businesses do not want to take people on
who are not able to attain some level of output rather quickly. Locally
appropriate VET courses therefore become vital in preparing students for
local employment. The Committee heard from Mrs Wendy Beumer from the South
East Economic Development Board in Noarlunga that:
In viticulture, for example, we have a massive demand for training,
because the vineyard operators and managers, like many other businesses,
are no longer prepared to take on unskilled labour. In the region, we
provide a lot of entry level programs designed by the industry to say,
`On day one, if these people can do these tasks, we will employ them'.
So the education and training sector has come behind and worked with
industry in terms of what they require for recruitment. [40]
5.51 The Committee believes that such an approach will also be beneficial
in encouraging young people to remain in regional localities rather than
heading to the city to find employment. The Commonwealth should seek to
facilitate these local initiatives wherever possible.
5.52 The Committee commends the work of the Australian Student Traineeship
Foundation (ASTF), established in 1994 to support the development of vocational
programs for secondary students which incorporate structured workplace
learning. School-industry programs were surveyed by the Australian Council
of Education Research in 1996 and were found to be more extensively provided
by schools in country towns and regional cities than in metropolitan cities.
In New South Wales, 46 per cent of participating students were from outside
the Sydney metropolitan area. In Queensland the country participation
rate was 64 per cent.
5.53 The school-industry program gives students 28 days in the workplace
over a year and is in all respects a more fulfilling program than the
traditional `work experience' week. The early success story was the experience
of Junee High School in NSW where the program was initiated as a result
of the dramatic reduction in the local State Rail workforce. There were
two distinct outcomes from this program. The first was a marked improvement
in the year 11-12 retention rate, an equally marked improvement in civic
and community pride and a more positive attitude to life and to work.
The second outcome was the enthusiastic participation of local business
and a demonstration that the local community was able to provide pathways
into real employment opportunities. Participants in school industry programs
include chambers of commerce, group training companies, and community
and industry organisations, most of which provide some level of formal
assistance to the scheme. [41]
Box 2 - Case study on VET in Schools: Kwinana Industries Council
| The Kwinana Industries Council, a grouping of 30 firms
operating around Kwinana, was founded in the early 1990s to handle
local environmental problems. Since then the Council has also become
involved in area planning and employment issues. The Excellence in
Education Compact, set up by the Council comprises eight secondary
schools and has links, through the schools, with the local campus
of the South Metropolitan College of TAFE.
Eighteen different programs are offered across the eight participating
schools, providing varying levels of workplace participation. The
vocational program in the schools is outcomes or competency-based,
centred on a core curriculum (with no options) and linked to local
industry. Twenty per cent of the total course consists of structured
workplace learning, which may be taken in blocks. There are also
combined courses offering more choice of subjects. School-based
traineeships under the Compact have been the first to be implemented
in Australia. This involves students spending 55 per cent of their
time at school and another 10 per cent at TAFE. Paid employment
may substitute for structured workplace learning. This scheme has
attracted around $250,000 from the Australian Student Traineeship
Foundation to cover administrative costs, in addition to funding
from the Council.
The Principal of Hamilton Senior High School, Mrs Lee Moore, informed
the Committee that the new Compact meant that students who had not
previously had the opportunity to go directly to TAFE or to find
employment at the end of their schooling, could now do so. [42]
It was important for many students to have the protection of a supportive
school environment as part of their transition from school to work.
This was only possible where school staff were prepared to undertake
VET training and where schools were prepared to put their own funds
toward making a success of the program. The performance indicators
were plain to see. At Hamilton Senior High School there was a 70-80
per cent success rate for students on these programs. In addition
the retention rate had improved, with something like 80 percent
continuing from year 10, and 90 per cent continuing from year 11
to year 12. Kwinana Senior High School had improved its retention
rate from 15 per cent to just over 70 per cent over three years,
with 70 per cent of their senior students participating in the vocational
programs. [43]
From the point of view of local businesses, the program was also
highly effective. It was now possible for firms to advertise locally,
rather that around the metropolitan area, to fill vacancies. Companies
like Alcoa were said to be more than happy with the local candidates
for job vacancies. The Chairman of the Excellence in Education Compact,
and Training and Development Consultant with Alcoa, Mr Michael Keep,
told the Committee that the firm employed 900 at the alumina refinery,
and that there were currently 27 apprentices, an additional 10 school-based
apprentices and around 100 young people coming through each year
`from the local area that we influence.' [44]
|
5.54 The Committee commends the growth in programs aimed at boosting
the importance of VET in schools. It notes, however, that even the far
more ambitious schemes of some Australian secondary schools are not as
far reaching as some foreign schemes.
5.55 In 1982 Boston public schools pioneered the idea of a `compact'
or agreement with employers, universities and unions, the aim of which
was to establish a continuous dialogue and support mechanism between schools
and employers. The schools undertook to improve academic standards in
exchange for improved employment opportunities and higher education. The
compact is considered by many observers to have been an important factor
in sustaining a relatively low rate of youth unemployment in Boston over
the past decade. [45]
5.56 In France, the Law of 20 December 1993 brought an almost revolutionary
change to education and regional development, being the most important
law passed to that date to bring to an end centuries of traditional state
central control. The effects were felt in vocational training to the extent
that entirely new networks of expertise and interaction between educational
institutions and local enterprises had to be developed. By 1994 more than
40 per cent of schools across France co-operate with local enterprises,
many of those having up to 200 employees. Studies indicate that as many
as 50 per cent of firms requiring skills in industrial mechanics and automation
have benefited materially (that is, in terms of productivity) from co-operation
with this program. The study has also revealed that the more intense the
professionalism in these partnerships, the more successful they are. [46]
TAFE – the key to job creation
5.57 The Committee's wide terms of reference did not allow it to inquire
into the connection between regional employment and the effectiveness
of training offered at TAFE colleges. There will be scope for this in
any future VET inquiry. In the meantime the Committee is encouraged by
a statement which it heard from a witness at its Kwinana hearings which
summed up the position of the South East Metropolitan College of TAFE
on workforce training:
It was said in the 1980s that vocational training is the powerhouse
of national reconstruction. The hierarchy that has evolved in the Australian
system has worked against the true recognition about what TAFE and VET
actually are. What TAFE is today, in its reconstructed format, is a
very dynamic, multifaceted organisation that for us works across 35
quite specific industries at a number of levels. It works proactively
with 49 high schools and it has relationships with about three universities
as well as international connections. The connectivity of the TAFE system
as against an institution or set of institutions has been undersold
and largely unrecognised in mainstream Australian thinking. I say as
a change agent, as a government employee, and also as an educator in
the broadest sense of the word that some of the models that are being
created across the TAFE system are, by my international experience,
a benchmark of international excellence. [47]
5.58 The Committee was impressed by the apparently high level of involvement
in regional planning bodies by TAFE senior managers in Western Australia.
Both the South and South East Metropolitan Colleges of TAFE worked closely
with their respective ACCs. The Committee was given a view of the TAFE
perspective on the connection with schools which indicated how important
this link is becoming in Western Australia. A high school is to be co-located
with the South Metro TAFE campus at Mandurah. The Coastal Area ACC also
runs a Building Bridges Committee, a TAFE initiative to develop support
links between TAFE and school managers so that course and career advice
is more widely disseminated in the community. This link will assume greater
importance as both TAFE colleges and schools grapple with the problem
of motivating reluctant returnees to the classroom in light of changed
guidelines to the common youth allowance. [48]
5.59 The Committee also heard evidence from representatives of the TAFE
sector in South Australia. It heard that the Onkaparinga Institute of
TAFE also conducts a locally focused VET program and achieves an approximately
70 percent employment placement for its graduates. [49] The Spencer Institute of TAFE in South Australia
has recorded a 70-80 percent achievement rate in their graduates finding
employment. It was explained to the Committee that one key to this success
rate was program flexibility.
We have responded over the last couple of years to changes in the local
community labour market by redirecting existing resources to match,
where possible, where the demand is. … We are sometimes frustrated
in responding to local changes as our funds are fairly well tied to
a purchase agreement that focuses on direct delivery of services, not
on investment to change to new training directions. [50]
5.60 This evidence also highlighted the frustration often felt by agencies
dealing with bureaucratic restrictions in seeking to expand into new locally
relevant areas. Funds may be tied to a specific service delivery, when
the changes to the market within that period may dictate re-allocating
those funds to achieve the best job placement outcomes. Changing training
emphasis will, in some instances, require a higher capital investment
to establish suitable training centres, equipment and courses. All training
providers need to have flexibility to change courses with the market and
access to adequate funds to equip them to do so.
5.61 The submission from the Spencer Institute of TAFE makes for salutary
reading in the light of evidence provided by TAFE college managers in
the Perth environs. Based on Port Augusta, Spencer TAFE bears its share
of the burden of the region, which has been seriously affected by production
downturns, and the questionable future of industry in Spencer Gulf towns.
In contrast to the optimistic spirit the Committee found along the coastal
strip south from Fremantle to Rockingham, the impression gained in the
Spencer Gulf towns was of communities in a state of near depression. Regional
TAFE colleges are disadvantaged by the absence of investment in local
industries which might require skilled labour. Costs of training are also
high because of telecommunication and transport charges. The VET in schools
program, strongly supported by the TAFE, was hampered in Port Augusta
by the shortage of appropriately trained staff in the secondary schools
and by inadequate funding from the schools to pay for TAFE services now
that it was required to cover costs. [51]
5.62 Collaborative partnerships may be very successful in regions whose
economies have both depth and diversity, and TAFE colleges have leading
roles to play in regional development. This becomes difficult when TAFE
colleges, and sometimes universities, find themselves in depressed regions
managing almost on their own. Educational leadership and community leadership
become almost synonymous. Governments should do more to assist this process.
5.63 The Committee recommends that additional funding support
for TAFE providers be negotiated with the states to improve the provision
of flexible, structured training opportunities to meet changing local
market requirements.
Training in small and medium sized businesses
5.64 The Committee discovered that in many centres the majority of small
businesses did not have a training ethos. In Northern Tasmania, for example,
a representative of the Tasmanian Employment Advisory Council informed
the Committee that approximately 60 per cent of small businesses had never
employed an apprentice or trainee. [52]
5.65 The significance of this is realised when you consider, as one submission
pointed out, that some regional economies are almost totally dependant
upon small and medium sized business enterprises (SMEs). [53]
The Committee heard from Dr Ian Falk that on average in Australia, small
businesses comprise 70 per cent of rural business. Many of these people
hold unpleasant memories of formal education and therefore have an anti-training
mentality. [54] To overcome this, vocational
and adult education needs to be actively promoted as distinctly different
to `school' and more relevant to small and medium sized business.
5.66 The Committee heard evidence in several regions that the success
of their economy was built on, and stabilised by, small or medium sized
business. One submission quoted ABS data stating that small business contributed
57 per cent to total job generation in the period June 1995 to June 1996.
[55] Given the value to the community of successful
small business, the Committee considers that small businesses should be
encouraged, and given incentives, to undertake training to assist them
to grow and succeed. One witness from the Ballarat Area Consultative Committee
suggested that the provision of training regarding human resource management
and also in relation to unfair dismissal laws would liberate many businesses
to expand. [56]
5.67 The Committee notes an interesting policy that has been implemented
in Modena Italy which assists small and medium business with information
on, and training of employees in, the latest technologies. The Democentre,
was established to monitor innovation and promote the diffusion of state-of-the-art
technologies to Modenese firms. One method they have adopted is to purchase
new technologies and organise demonstrations to highlight their benefits.
This information service clearly reduces the risk to small firms associated
with upgrading to new technologies. In addition, the Democentre has become
involved in the provision of training following the regional government's
decision in 1995 to tender out European funds for training. Their involvement
has included the development of a new post-graduate university course
in car engineering. This is highly valuable in an area dominated by prestigious
carmakers like Ferrari. This is a good example of an attempt to developed
training around the local economy's competitive advantage. [57]
Barriers to apprenticeships and trainees
5.68 The Committee found that there were several main issues hindering
SMEs from taking on apprentices and trainees. These were :
- literacy and numeracy issues;
- concern regarding young people's work ethic;
- too much red tape; and
- business confidence in the economy.
5.69 A recent DEETYA publication, Labour Market for Apprentices,
found that, while on average employers and group training companies had
seven suitable applicants for each available apprenticeship, nearly seventy
per cent of all applicants were unsuitable. Just over half of the applicants
were rated as unsuitable due to poor attitude or presentation. Some VET
school programs are now addressing this problem. Literacy and numeracy
skills were found to be the second biggest obstacle to employment. The
DEETYA study also found that `employer expectations of apprenticeship
quality had increased over the past three years, although most felt that
employers had realistic expectations'. [58]
5.70 The Committee is pleased to note that the first three of these issues
are already receiving attention through government policy. The increased
government support for VET in schools is helping address the first two
issues. The emergence of group training companies has made some headway
into alleviating the third barrier.
5.71 While confidence in the economy is a big picture problem beyond
the focus of this chapter, one aspect of business confidence of growing
importance, is the length of contracts and, to a lesser extent, funding
of training programs. As the trend towards outsourcing continues, the
length of contracts becomes a more integral determinant of business confidence.
The Committee was informed by a representative of the South East Economic
Development Board that short contract periods create uncertainty that
affects decisions made by SMEs. [59] Similarly,
if funding is restored for wage subsidies for on-the-job training, the
funding should be of at least six months duration to give businesses confidence
to take on disadvantaged jobseekers.
5.72 Another disincentive to business taking on trainees is the constant
changes to government programs. A member of the Tasmanian Employment Advisory
Council told the Committee that:
I think that employers are becoming quite accustomed to change, unfortunately,
and therefore, are particularly hesitant to progress with training employment.
We have seen so many changes over the last five years that they are
saying, `What is coming through next?' [60]
5.73 One submission raised concerns over current moves to review or privatise
employment support and vocational education and training services. Any
diminishing of these services at a regional level could adversely affect
the implementation of VET reforms such as streamlining of apprentice recruitment
and the introduction of industry-based flexible training programs, which
were dependent upon a responsive and customer focussed administrative
system. [61]
5.74 It was drawn to the Committee's attention that some businesses took
on few apprentices and the load of responsibility for training apprentices
was being borne unevenly. Several witnesses suggested that businesses
taking on apprentices should receive some sort of tax cut or further financial
incentive as reward, particularly in areas of skills shortage.
… industry or business is not sharing the responsibility of training
trainees and apprentices equitably in today's business world. Two of
our biggest employers in Bendigo and Castlemaine do not have any apprentices.
If you ask them why, they will say it is not financially in their interest
to have apprentices or trainees. … We did a survey of the metals
and engineering sector … Where they employed apprentices, everyone
commented that it was an expensive investment training up apprentices
for their business. … some businesses are carrying the weight of
training the tradespeople for our region. …
I think there has to be something different specifically relating to
skill shortage areas. We are not overcoming our skill shortages. [62]
5.75 In the past large companies, councils and former government owned
utilities were dependable sources for producing large numbers of apprentices.
A witness from the Australian Centre for Industrial Relations Research
and Training in Parramatta drew the Committee's attention to one major
reason why this practice has been almost discontinued:
In a sense, you would have to say that those companies [electricity,
railways] have simply made a rational decision in light of the incentive
structures that have been put in place. Shifting those statutory authorities
into a GBE status and then unleashing competition policy on them has
basically given them the objective of maximising shareholder value.
That has meant that training is not seen as a core function and, therefore,
it is essentially being discarded. That goes to the question of what
framework you provide for these organisations. That is one way you can
respond and maybe modify competition policy. [63]
5.76 Whereas once many businesses had a sense of social or community
responsibility to train apprentices, that is now being overshadowed by
the national competition policy and increasing pressures to be globally
competitive. It would appear that a minimised focus on training is an
inevitable result of the government's policy of moving to a market competition
model. In light of this, and recognising that a skilled workforce is a
positive externality that everyone wants and no one wants to pay for,
it was suggested that the Commonwealth introduce a requirement that business
spend a certain amount on training, similar to the former Training Guarantee
Levy.
The second response that is being debated in Europe quite vigorously
at the moment is direct levies on employers. You have to coerce them;
they are not going to do it voluntarily. You have to say, `There is
an externality here. If every employer makes a rational decision, then
the training across the system is going to be less than optimal.' Therefore,
you have to put in some kind of directive to ensure you get a better
outcome. …
We did a lot of research for DEET on the Training Guarantee …
the ABS, I estimate, spent around $10 million generating data to evaluate
it …[and it] showed that 50 per cent of employers were quite happy
with the Training Guarantee. … We did a lot of workplace case studies,
especially in the small business sector, and, sure, there were some
ratbag schemes, there were the fly-by-nighters … but towards the
end there was a lot tighter focus and the tax office was sharpening
up its procedures. I think that was a case of ideology getting way ahead
of what was happening on the ground.
Just to add to that, DEETYA's evaluation of the Training Guarantee
Act is a very interesting study. … DEETYA itself is saying that
towards the end it was actually performing; it was actually working.
[64]
5.77 A national industrial recruitment company recently completed an
apprenticeship survey. The survey results revealed that 25 percent of
businesses surveyed nation-wide hoped to employ more apprentices over
the next five years. Almost one third of firms said financial incentive
would entice them to employ more apprentices. Catalyst Recruitment's Managing
Director, George Zammit, said :
… many companies are doubtful about the value for money they get
from apprentices. They feel that the amount it costs in training is
not reciprocated in productive output, and this, I believe, is the main
reason for the dwindling of apprenticeship opportunities over the past
decade … I'm sure more companies would be prepared to invest in
training apprentices if the government made it more financially attractive
or the system somehow rewarded these firms – perhaps with tax credits
or with greater export incentives. [65]
5.78 The Committee notes the evidence given above in regard to training
incentives. It recommends that the Commonwealth evaluate the use
of training incentives in meeting the needs of regional industries for
increased structured training opportunities in categories of high employment
growth. Such incentives should:
- be developed with the input of local government and business;
- provide for adequate flexibility in program implementation to ensure
the projects and available training are relevant to local job prospects;
and
- recognise that not every one wishes to remain in their local area,
but may wish to train there, ensure that regional education institutions
also offer training in commonly demanded skills.
Footnotes
[1] Mr Dick Adams MP, Hansard, Launceston,
16 June 1998, pp. 509-10
[2] Mr John Pierpoint, Hansard, Elizabeth,
28 April 1998, p. 109
[3] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia
in Profile – a regional analysis, Canberra, 1998, p. 42
[4] For more details on the SVS see Department
of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Skills in
Australia – trends and shortages, Canberra, 1998, pp. 10-11
[5] ibid., p. 23
[6] As quoted in Submission No. 106, Department
of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, vol. 7, p. 92
[7] Office of the Employee Ombudsman, Annual
Report 1997-98, Adelaide, 1998, pp. 3-9
[8] National Centre for Vocational Education
Research, Vocational Education and Training in Australia, 1999,
available from http://www.ncver.edu.au/statistics/aats/series8597/
[9] Mr Geoffrey Fader, Hansard: GST and A
New Tax System, Melbourne, 3 March 1999, p. 693
[10] Submission No. 79, Manufacturing, Engineering
and Related Services Industry Training Advisory Body, vol. 4, p. 8
[11] Mr Imants Kins, Hansard, Kwinana,
17 August 1998, p. 1353
[12] Mr Dominic Andreacchio, Melbourne North
West Area Consultative Committee, Hansard, Melbourne, 7 May 1998,
pp. 369-373
[13] Mr Peter Black, Mayor, Broken Hill City
Council, Hansard, Broken Hill, 30 April 1998, p. 248
[14] Mr Gary Tepper, Swan Hill Rural City Council,
Hansard, Ballarat, 17 June 1998, pp. 652-8
[15] Mr Geoffrey Carson, Murray Mallee Training
Company, Hansard, Ballarat, 17 June 1998, p. 658
[16] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian
Employment and Unemployment Patterns 1994-1996, Canberra, 1998, p.
37
[17] Mr David Thompson, Jobs Australia Ltd,
Hansard, Melbourne, 7 May 1998, pp. 378-9; see also Mr John Pierpoint,
Nastec Solutions, Hansard, Elizabeth, 28 April 1998, pp. 109-10,
referred to above
[18] Industry Commission, Impediments to
Regional Industry Adjustment, 1993, p. 48, as quoted in Jobs in
our Regions – building on the small business base, The Council
of Small Business Organisations and the Department of Transport and Regional
Development, Canberra 1997, p. 85
[19] Engineering Skills Training Board (Vic),
On the Brink of Crisis?, vol. 1, Melbourne, 1998, pp. 4-10
[20] Mr Dominic Andreacchio, Hansard,
Melbourne, 7 May 1998, pp. 369-70
[21] Mrs Bawani Graham, Moreland City Council,
Hansard, Melbourne, 7 May 1998, p. 394
[22] The Hon. Barry Pullen MP, Hansard,
Melbourne, 7 May 1998, p. 476
[23] Ms Gabrielle Gelly, Lakes and Wilderness
Tourism, Hansard, Bairnsdale, 4 May 1998, p. 322
[24] Mr Gerard McLean, Hansard, Nowra,
18 June 1998, p. 810
[25] Mrs Wendy Beumer, Hansard, Noarlunga,
28 April 1998, p. 47
[26] ibid.
[27] ibid.
[28] ibid., p. 53
[29] Dr Ian Faulk, Hansard, Launceston,
16 June 1998, p. 499
[30] See Mr John Pierpoint, Hansard,
Elizabeth, 28 April 1998, pp. 109-10, referred to above
[31] Mr Ian Campbell, DEWRSB, Hansard,
Canberra, 18 December 1998, p. 1531
[32] Professor Kenyon, South Metropolitan Perth
Regional Employment Organisation, Hansard, Perth, 18 August 1998,
p. 1416
[33] Mrs Elizabeth Schneyder, Willunga High
School, Hansard, Noarlunga, 28 April 1998, p. 23
[34] Mr Alan Brougham, Onkaparinga Institute
of TAFE, Hansard, Noarlunga, 28 April 1998, p. 59
[35] MCEETYA, National Report on Schooling
in Australia: 1996, Curriculum Corporation, Carlton, pp. 62-3
[36] Mr Geoffrey Carson, Murray Mallee Training
Company Ltd, Hansard, Ballarat, 17 June 1998, p. 656
[37] Mrs Elizabeth Schneyder, Willunga High
School, Hansard, Noarlunga, 28 April 1998, p. 24
[38] ibid., p. 17
[39] ibid., pp. 16-28 and also Submission
No. 38, Willunga High School, vol. 2, pp. 23-30
[40] Mrs Wendy Beumer, Hansard, Noarlunga,
28 April 1998, p. 49
[41] Submission No. 172, Australian Student
Traineeship Foundation, vol. 7, pp. 242-3
[42] Mrs Lee Moore, Hansard, Kwinana,
17 August 1998, p. 1317
[43] Mr Graeme Harvey, Hansard, Kwinana,
17 August 1998, p. 1321
[44] Mr Michael Keep, Hansard, Kwinana,
17 August 1998, p. 1326
[45] OECD, Regional Competitiveness and
Skills, 1997, p. 77
[46] ibid., p. 92
[47] Mr Geoffrey Gale, Hansard, Kwinana,
17 August 1998, p. 1397
[48] Mr Ron Innis, Hansard, Kwinana,
17 August 1998, pp. 1391-2
[49] Mr Alan Brougham, Hansard, Noarlunga,
28 April 1998, p. 59
[50] Mr Robert Kimber, Hansard, Port
Augusta, 29 April 1998, p. 170
[51] Submission No. 159, Spencer Institute
of TAFE, vol. 6, p. 312
[52] Mrs Sheryl Thomas, Hansard, Launceston,
16 June 1998, pp. 490-1
[53] Submission No. 192, Community Employment
Council, vol. 8, p. 286
[54] Dr Ian Falk, Hansard, Launceston,
16 June 1998, pp. 496-7
[55] Submission No. 205, Business Horizons,
vol. 9, p. 277
[56] Mr Mark Lynch, Hansard, Ballarat,
17 June 1998, p. 614
[57] OECD, Regional Competitiveness and
Skills, 1997, p. ?
[58] Department of Employment, Education, Training
and Youth Affairs, Labour Market for Apprentices, Canberra, 1998,
p. 1
[59] Mrs Wendy Beumer, Hansard, Noarlunga,
28 April 1998, p. 48
[60] Mrs Sheryl Thomas, Hansard, Launceston,
16 June 1998, p. 492
[61] Submission No. 79, Manufacturing, Engineering
and Related Services Industry Training Advisory Body, vol. 4, p. 5
[62] Mr Jeffrey Bothe, Hansard, Ballarat,
17 June 1998, p. 667
[63] Mr John Buchanan, Hansard, Parramatta,
23 July 1998, pp. 1026-7
[64] Mr John Buchanan, and Dr John Spierings,
Hansard, Parramatta, 23 July 1998, p. 1027
[65] Mr George Zammit, Catalyst Recruitment
media release and apprenticeship survey results, 13 December 1998