Media Release – 16 August 2024
Issued by The Capital Group on behalf of Future Skills Organisation as part of National Skills Week 2024
Vocational training driving opportunities for career advancement in Australia’s regional and remote areas
Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a game-changer for people’s lives: National Skills Week 19-25 August 2024
16 August 2024 – Vocational training is key to creating and building careers in remote and regional areas according to Chair of National Skills Week 2024, Brian Wexham.
Now in its 14th year, National Skills Week’s highlights the direct correlation between vocational learning and addressing the skills shortage in remote and regional Australia.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) helps create career paths within regional areas bolstered by the federal government’s commitment to spend an additional $30 billion on VET over the next five years.
National Skills Week Chair Brian Wexham says: “The opportunities in remote and regional areas for developing life changing skills are significant. An important first step is access to VET and apprenticeships. With that grounding, pathways to career advancement are created.
“National Skills Week is about putting a spotlight on opportunities, recognising those already succeeding and providing a template for success for those embarking on new careers.”
According to the Regional Australia Institute, regional Australia is experiencing change like never before. More people than ever are looking to make a life outside our capital cities, and many have already made the move. Each month internet-advertised job vacancies continue to hover at rates just under 100,000.
Demand is highest for professional skilled roles and those fundamental to regional living such as GPs, nurses, allied health professionals, aged care workers and early years educators. However, housing persists as a key barrier to facilitating this growth, with rental vacancies continuing at detrimental lows and new housing playing ‘catchup’ to population needs.
Regional Australia Institute says: “The appeal of regional living is here to stay for thousands of metro movers, requiring new thinking and action on how the services, housing, and skills landscape will develop to meet this ongoing demand across the country. Important economic and social transitions are underway, and regional Australia is at the frontline of this change.”
Vocational learning is facilitating career development by allowing individuals to pursue ongoing learning in parallel with their work. Launceston-based Bradley Maynard (pictured below) began his apprenticeship in Tasmania in 1996 and has worked at engineering and fabrication company Crisp Bros. & Maynard for the past 18 years. Bradley was named the Aboriginal-Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year at the 2023 Tasmanian Training Awards.
Says Bradley, “VET has shaped my life from when I first completed my apprenticeship as a boilermaker and welder, to where I am today as a Safety Manager looking after almost 300 employees.
“I’m constantly striving to improve my knowledge by studying, I’m passionate about training and have been assisting others on finding their pathways through the VET sector.”
Currently studying for a Diploma in Work Health and Safety, once completed he plans to undertake a Diploma of Construction Management. He already has Certificate IV qualifications in four different areas.
His qualifications are across a broad range of industries including Business Management, Construction and Building. This has allowed him to transition between differing roles throughout his career.
South Australian School-based Trainee / Apprentice of the Year (Finalist) 2023 Sophie Orrock (pictured below) is an apprentice auto electrician employed at Bordertown in South Australia.
She is one of only five auto electricians in the area, two of whom are women. She began her vocational training journey whilst still at school, completing a Certificate III in Rural Operations during year 10, then completed most of her school subjects in year 11 to allow her to commence as a full-time school-based apprentice in her final year.
“VET opened my eyes to a broader field for job opportunities without having to go university”, she says. According to Sophie, it also offered flexibility and greater choice, “Being able to study at school, make a bit of money on the side and try fields without having to commit to the job.”
Northern Territory, 2023 Trainee of the Year, Joe Kellie (pictured below) is an associate network engineer working in Darwin with Certificate II, III, and IV in Information Technology, and ITILv4 Foundations. He is currently studying for the Cisco Certified Networking Associate and CompTIA Security.
Joe says, “VET has enabled me to get into the workforce early whilst allowing me to focus on my interests throughout my school years. Due to the occupation VET has landed me, I have been able to afford a home with my father, giving us sustainable housing we did not have before.”
In 2022, Newcastle-based Bridie Searle (pictured below) had never been on a ship. Today, Bridie is responsible for managing million-dollar maritime projects with Thales Australia Limited in the Above Water Systems business, something made possible through her vocational pathway.
After securing a traineeship, Bridie began her Certificate IV in Project Management Practice at the Australian College of Commerce & Management.
Guidance from her colleagues and trainers went a long way, too. “I’m extremely lucky to be working alongside men and women with upwards of 40 years’ experience,” says Bridie. “The skills they bring to the table are unparalleled and they supported me immensely.
She earned even more respect due to the pace with which she’s excelled in her traineeship. Bridie’s Training and Capability Manager describes Bridie as the “most sought-after Project Superintendent within our company” and a next-generation leader.
Currently, Bridie’s day-to-day role could see her working on Destroyers, guided missiles or being a wharf and crane co-ordinator. “It’s been fantastic, and I’ve picked up so many skills that are transferable across multiple roles and industries,” says Bridie.
In 2023, Bridie was named the New South Wales Trainee of the Year and Trainee of the Year at the Australian Training Awards.
“I’ve always been a hands-on learner. The balance of theory and practical work offers an unmatched training program – it was pivotal to my success,” Bridie says.
TAFE NSW Managing Director Stephen Brady said, “Vocational education is for every Australian, whether they’re beginning their career, taking it to the next level, or changing careers.”
“Learners in regional, remote, and urban areas – across all levels of schooling and job experience – benefit greatly from the many education, training, and industry connection opportunities offered by registered training providers like TAFE NSW. We can be a career game changer for everyone from secondary school students learning a trade though to learners completing a bachelor’s degree and business owners needing to upskill for industry currency.
“Our sector is working together to address the skills needs of trades, professions, and businesses of today and tomorrow. We are striving to build pipelines of well-equipped apprentices and other workers across the country in critical priority areas like renewable energy, construction, and care services. Flexible course delivery initiatives like online classes, block release, and virtual reality training are making high quality training accessible anytime, anywhere. Vocational education really does pave the way to success for our regional communities, industries, and the economy.”
“Our annual virtual TAFE NSW Open Day is taking place during National Skills Week on 22 August, from 9 am to 4 pm. Attendees can explore 12 webinars and other on-demand content, take a virtual campus tour, book one-on-one meetings with teachers, or join drop-in sessions to gather information they need to support their lifelong learning goals.”
Visit https://tafenswevents.eventsair.com/virtual-open-day-2024/register.
Issued by The Capital Group on behalf of Future Skills Organisation as part of National Skills Week 2024