Housing affordability needs to be addressed so the ACT can continue to attract people to take up apprenticeships in areas with significant skills shortages, the territory's Skills Minister has said.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Chris Steel acknowledged the ACT's tight rental market and high accommodation costs could be an issue for people considering taking up apprenticeships, which begin with small salaries but open up workers to well paying jobs in the future.
"One of the issues that comes up when we're talking about attracting people into the ACT is always around affordability of housing and so that is something that we constantly need to have a look at," Mr Steel said.
The ACT government on Friday announced 1000 more places in the free JobTrainer scheme, with courses in area with skill shortages in the ACT.
Mr Steel said the local economy was experiencing high demand for skilled workers in areas including aged and disability care, digital and cyber industries and construction and renewables.
The Minister told a Legislative Assembly inquiry last month the drop in skilled migration through the pandemic had resulted in skills shortages in some industries.
Courses included in the free training scheme include a certificate II in construction, certificate IV qualifications in ageing support and mental health.
The ACT government also opened applications for its round of the employment jumpstart grants program, which offers funding for organisations who can provide core training for people seeking entry level jobs.
The Canberra Institute of Technology's director of industry engagement, Fiona Mitchell, said the institute welcomed the expansion of free training places.
MORE A.C.T. POLITICS NEWS:
"CIT has experienced first hand the benefit of the JobTrainer initiative. We've really seen students engage in some of the boot camps, some of the introductory online programs and the full qualifications, and that has transitioned into full time work," Ms Mitchell said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison in July 2020 announced $2 billion in federal funding, with another $500 million in matched state and territory funding, for re-skilling and up-skilling programs under the JobTrainer package.
The ACT government added 2500 free training places to the jointly funded program in September.
There were 5700 places in the ACT under the original scheme, which was also designed to reform funding arrangements between the Commonwealth and the states for the vocational and training education sector.
The JobTrainer program, designed to offer free courses in areas of skills shortages during the pandemic, had provided 2731 places in the first phase and 149 places in November last year.
Out of the JobTrainer enrolments, 58 per cent were women, 2.8 per cent were Indigenous, 17 per cent had a disability, 44 per cent were job seekers and 48 per cent were people aged 18 to 24.
Mr Steel was asked in a Legislative Assembly inquiry in February why CIT received 75 per cent of JobTrainer funding but 80 per cent of students attend private training organisations.
"We are strongly of the belief that public TAFE is the foundation of that system in the ACT," he said.
He said the second iteration of the JobTrainer program would allow more private training providers to deliver courses.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
