FEDERAL LABOR'S PLAN TO IMPROVE TRADES TRAINING
13 NOVEMBER 2007

Federal Labor will invest more than $820 million to improve the quality of trades training in NSW secondary schools.

Labor's Shadow Minister for Education and Training, Stephen Smith today visited one of Macquarie's 21 secondary schools, Portland Central School, with Labor's Candidate for Macquarie, Bob Debus.

" Not every student wants to go to university and Federal Labor's plan responds to their needs," Mr Smith said.

" We must ensure these students are given the best possible education and training so they can develop the skills they need to secure the jobs they want in the future."

" That means providing real career paths to trades and apprenticeships.

That is why Federal Labor has announced positive policy proposals to:

* Invest $800 million to establish Trades Training Centres in secondary schools in NSW;
* Invest $24 million to help NSW secondary school students studying for a trade to get practical on-the-job training; and
* Introduce a Job Ready Certificate to help businesses assess the job readiness of NSW secondary school students engaged in trades training.

There are more than 300,000 students in NSW in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 in over 800 Government, Catholic and Independent secondary schools that could benefit from Federal Labor's trades training initiatives.

Federal Labor Candidate for Macquarie, Bob Debus said "that's an upgrade for local secondary schools in Lithgow like Portland Central School, Lithgow High School and La Salle Academy."

Federal Labor's Trades Training Centres in Schools Plan will provide between $500,000 and up to $1.5 million to NSW secondary schools to build, upgrade or enhance trade workshops, Information, Communications and Technology labs and other facilities such as:

* Metal or woodwork workshops
* Commercial kitchens
* Hairdressing facilities
* Automotive workshops
* Plumbing workshops
* Graphic Design labs
* Computer Laboratories

Federal Labor will also provide grants of up to $10,000 to NSW secondary schools – both Government and non-Government – to provide 20 weeks a year of practical on the job work experience for students in years 9 to 12 who are learning trades.

As a complement to these trades training initiatives, Federal Labor's Job Ready Certificate will be a stand alone statement of a student's readiness for work in addition to a Year 12 Certificate and any separate VET qualification, providing students with an increased awareness of the skills necessary in the modern workplace, and employers with a tangible reference as to whether students are capable and ready to work.

Mr Debus said, "This is an additional commitment to improve the link between schools and business, to foster trades and apprenticeship career paths for our kids."

According to the Government's own estimates, Australia will need 240,000 more skilled workers by 2016.

" For the students of schools like Portland Central School, this is a real investment. For businesses in Lithgow, this is a real commitment to tackle the skills crisis being faced by NSW businesses," Mr Debus said.

Federal Labor's trades training initiatives are a key plank in our commitment to lift Year 12 retention rates from 75 per cent to 85 per cent by 2015 and to 90 per cent by 2020.

Federal Labor's trades training initiatives will enable students in Lithgow to obtain the skills they will need to secure jobs in the future.