Apprenticeships, Employment & Training Provider | VERTO
VERTO is an award winning, not-for-profit organisation assisting businesses and individuals with all their apprenticeship, employment and training needs. Our expertise covers a range of areas including Aboriginal services, Australian apprenticeships services, disability services, employment services and vocational training to help businesses, individuals and local industry to thrive. Our mission is to positively impact the lives of individuals and communities and we’ve built a track record of exemplary customer service over 35 years, built around an ethical approach.You'll find the team in over 40 locations across New South Wales.
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Why employment is important for Indigenous Australians
By Alyssa Bennett - Emplopyment Services Manager
We are living in an era when employment has never faced as much change. The very nature of what we call ‘work’ is shifting, as technology disrupts many industries and traditional career paths. What hasn’t changed, however, is the importance of employment to both individuals and communities across Australia.
There are a number of cohorts within our society that face difficulty in realising sustainable employment opportunities, and our Indigenous population is one that continues to face disproportionate disadvantage. While different levels of government, community groups, and even individuals have worked to make a difference, the reality is that we still have more to do.
The value of employment
The statistics around employment are very clear: there’s a real benefit for everyone in having a job. We know that those with a job have better life outcomes in general. They have a longer life expectancy, better health and wellbeing, and more housing options. The flow-on effect of not having employment is far reaching, for individuals, families, and the wider economy.
That’s why efforts to increase employment are so important. The economic value is well reported, as is the Federal Government's focus on decreasing unemployment.
For Indigenous communities, it’s a very complicated road. There’s a significant historical piece behind Indigenous disadvantage, and responses include the Australian Government’s “Closing the Gap” initiative, which seeks to deliver enhanced employment outcomes alongside health and education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Employment is crucial to addressing the over-representation of Indigenous people in all areas of disadvantage; however, Australia as a nation is not on track to halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Are we doing enough?
Like many areas in society where disadvantage is prevalent, there’s no golden panacea. It will take an ongoing and unwavering commitment across all levels – individual, government, and business – to make a difference.
In our work with employers, we see this first hand. Typically, employers want to help the communities within which they live and operate and look for opportunities to support local Indigenous Australians. Individuals and employers will almost certainly have examples of successes and otherwise when engaging in the various Indigenous employment programs that have existed. My view is that, whilst discussing the past aids greatly in understanding challenges and perspectives, our focus is best placed upon asking ourselves what part each one of us can play to improve employment opportunities and outcomes for Indigenous Australians into the future. If we start with a personal commitment, we will collectively contribute to a better solution than what we have today.
So, rather than asking whether we are doing enough, the question should be, how can we work together to better harness all the positive intent?
There are programs that work
At VERTO, we work heavily in the area of Indigenous employment. A significant number of our programs are geared towards helping Indigenous communities, many of them in partnership with government.
Our jobactive and Disability Employment Services programs have a strong focus on employment for Indigenous Australians. In both these programs, we focus heavily on providing a service that takes into account the cultural needs of the community, ensuring we work in a way that best serves Indigenous Australians.
We partner with Indigenous stakeholders and employers across our footprint to support and place our clients into sustainable employment, recognising the historical success of job matching Indigenous clients with Indigenous-owned enterprises in achieving long-term employment outcomes.
The New Careers for Aboriginal People (NCAP) program also provides a really positive opportunity to help Indigenous Australians into both training and employment. VERTO is also a member of Supply Nation, delivers community-based Indigenous Advancement Strategy programs, and has a history of sponsoring Indigenous groups and events, such as, most recently, the Wiradjuri Aboriginal Rivers Rugby League Team and the Orange NAIDOC Awards.
We take pride in our commitment to deliver authentic and value-added services. For example, we invest heavily in our internal programs that support our Employment Services team to develop knowledge and skills to positively engage the community. Delivered by Indigenous staff members, these cultural understanding workshops have really helped our team understand and connect with Indigenous culture, staff, and clients.
Indigenous employment may be a complex issue, but it’s something that we can all individually make a commitment to positively impact in our own way. If we work together and unite our efforts across the many different areas, I believe we can make a real difference in the lives of Indigenous Australians today and for generations to come.
School Leavers: Don’t discount apprenticeships
By Ron Maxwell - CEO
If you are a school leaver who hasn’t decided what you want to do just yet, it's not too late to consider an apprenticeship; and there are many great reasons why it should be on your radar. From the excellent job prospects to earning while you learn, there are many reasons why you might consider this pathway.
Something for everyone
When we talk about apprenticeships, many people think about the traditional trades, such as plumbing, electrical, construction, etc., and while there are certainly some great opportunities in these spaces, apprenticeships offer far more variety. Today, you can undertake an apprenticeship in a wide range of fields, from cake decoration and baking to aviation engineering. With over 500 apprenticeship occupations, there really is something for everyone.
Many trade apprenticeships may be worth another look too. Technology and digitisation is changing the face of even the most traditional fields. You only have to take a look at automotive mechanics – a job that was once about manual labour has become about technology, as most cars are run by computers not traditional engines. The skills you need to succeed are changing – and we are seeing a greater need for science, technology, maths and engineering skills than ever before.
Try before you buy
Many degrees don't give you the opportunity to see what it is like working in the industry until you are well into your studies, or in some cases, until you have graduated. This means you could easily find yourself in the wrong field when you have already accrued a significant HELP debt.
With an apprenticeship, you are learning on the job; getting a real sense of life in your chosen industry from the very beginning. Additionally, if you work with an Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider like VERTO, they will also work with you to assess your interests and abilities and recommend the right apprenticeship options for you from the very outset.
Earn while you learn
Unlike other forms of study, where you will most likely be balancing your study load with a part-time or casual job, apprentices earn while they learn. Your employer will be teaching you on-the-job skills and paying you a salary, all while you study for your nationally recognised qualification.
You'll also be equipping yourself with a raft of practical skills and you'll develop the kind of workplace soft skills that your friends at university may not learn until they graduate – giving you a real career advantage. And when you graduate, things only get better. Vocational education and training (VET) graduates typically earn $2,000 a year more than university graduates in their first year.
The future looks bright
Career prospects in many apprenticeship vocations are well above average, and at a time when an increasing number of university graduates are struggling to find full-time work, this is critical. With many industries impacted by skills shortages, wages are only going to grow too, as demand for qualified workers outstrips supply.
If you decide down the track that you want to continue on to university studies, that's an option too. VET graduates develop a host of skills that put them in good stead, wherever their career may take them; no matter the industry, every employer wants to hire people with strong interpersonal, communication and soft skills.
A can-do attitude can take you places
Unlike university entrance, apprenticeships don’t require a set ATAR. Different qualifications will have different requirements, but typically an interest in the field and a can-do attitude are a great start. Employers want apprentices who are willing to learn – not those who already know it all.
Many apprenticeship vocations allow you to work in cities, suburbs, or regional areas, meaning you can live and work where you want. You can avoid the city bustle or throw yourself right into it – it's really a career that will move with you.
Are you ready?
To find out more about your options, the VERTO website is a great place to start. You can also find out more about the right opportunity for you using our CareerGate tool. If you are ready to take the next step, give the VERTO Apprenticeship Team a call on 1300 4 VERTO.
Skills Checkpoint Keeps Community Bus Drivers on the Road
VERTO offers the Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers Program (Skills Checkpoint) on behalf of the Australian Government in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Victoria.
Skills Checkpoint is funded by the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business. The service helps those aged 45 to 70 who are employed and at risk of entering the income support system (e.g. those in industries undergoing structural adjustment); or unemployed for no more than three consecutive months and not registered for assistance through an employment services program, such as jobactive.
The program is a no cost service, offering career guidance and assessment to help participants to continue in the workforce. The program also offers eligible participants access to a co-contribution of up to $2,200 to partake in accredited training course(s).
Karl, Keith, Marty and Terry all work for South West Community Transport (SWCT) in the Macarthur region, a business focused on helping elderly community members to keep their independence by providing transport services. The four men, along with 24 other SWCT drivers, were required to update their training before January 2020 or risk being made redundant.
VERTO’s Skills Checkpoint Consultant for the Sydney region, Jess Horne, recognised their essential service to the community and teamed up with training provider Into Training Australia to update their Driver’s Authority Training Course.
“I initially approached their employer and explained to them how the SWCT drivers would be eligible for our Skills Checkpoint service,” said Jess.
“Skills Checkpoint allowed the SWCT drivers to access funding for half of their required course fees which significantly decreased the cost for each driver to reskill.”
Ross at Into Training Australia delivered the Driver Authority Training Course for the SWCT team. Seeing the benefit of VERTO’s Skills Checkpoint service, he now highlights the availability of the program to other potential participants.
“In the end I trained 28 drivers at SWCT who, under previous circumstances, would have needed to pay for this service out of their own pockets,” Ross said.
“The Skills Checkpoint service is opening up a whole new world of opportunities for older workers who think that their current position is at risk of disappearing; it’s truly giving them new hope.”
Keith, Marty, Terry and Karl have completed the Drivers Authority course and are now able to remain in their current positions, continuing to provide this vital service to their community.
Wayne Overcomes Barriers in Pursuit of a new opportunity
The Disability Employment Services (DES) program is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Social Services. VERTO offers DES in the Central West and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales. With over 20 years of proven success and a track record as a five star-rated DES provider, this is one of VERTO’s core service offerings.
Our DES program is aimed at assisting clients with a disability, injury or health condition that require assistance in gaining or maintaining employment. VERTO also work closely with their local employers to help them connect with the right job seeker for their business.
When Wayne came to VERTO in Bathurst, he was looking for a chance to change occupations and try a new industry. Wayne had previously been employed in one organisation for many years and faced a number of barriers in finding a new career path.
Wayne’s VERTO DES consultant Amy Waight was on hand to help him move forward.
“Wayne was willing to undertake work experience and study to help secure a new job, overcoming the significant barriers to employment he has previously faced,” Amy said.
“An intellectual disability and poor reading and writing skills made study options and ongoing employment a challenge for Wayne, however, his drive to learn and excitement at the prospects of a new role helped to keep him focused.
“I was incredibly impressed at his determination to pursue a new career path.”
Wayne worked with Amy to help him to update his skills and to restructure his resume. Overcoming these hurdles, Wayne soon landed an interview with local horticultural company Bathurst Discount Yard Maintenance. Wayne met with business owner Ashley for an interview, and soon after started work.
“Wayne has hit the ground running and has been working near full-time hours since he started with Bathurst Discount Yard Maintenance,” Ashley said.
While his intellectual barriers sometimes requires Wayne to have a mate on hand to help him with written instructions, early indicators from Ashley say that Wayne is quite the ‘whizz’ on the whipper snipper and is a great asset to the team.
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