April 3, 2019
VERTO chief executive, Ron Maxwell, today welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to apprenticeships and training in the 2019-2020 Federal Budget.
Mr. Maxwell said as an Apprenticeship Network Provider in New South Wales, VERTO has been calling for a renewed investment into the vocational education and training sector (VET), and stimulus measures to boost dwindling apprenticeship numbers.
“We welcome the Federal Government’s $525 million skills package to reform the VET sector, which includes doubling incentive payments for employers to $8,000 per apprenticeship placement and a new $2,000 incentive payment for apprentices” Mr. Maxwell said.
“I also congratulate the Federal Government on their target to create up to 80,000 new apprenticeships in industries with skills shortages.”
Mr. Maxwell said he was also pleased to see a $132.4 million investment over four years to build an enhanced approach to skills development by establishing a National Skills Commission and National Careers Institute to drive long-term reforms in the VET sector.
“I welcome the Federal Government’s strategic approach to reforming the VET sector through the creation of these two important entities.”
Mr. Maxwell also welcomed the Federal Government’s significant program of reform of the employment services sector as announced by the Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations, the Hon. Kelly O’Dwyer MP, on 20 March, 2019.
“I look forward to seeing more detail of the Government’s digital transformation plan for the jobactive program over the coming months,” Mr. Maxwell said.
