New Queensland Skills Plan launched

The Bligh Government has a new blueprint to address Queensland’s skills shortages.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford today launched the Queensland Skills Plan 2008 in response to the state’s strengthening economy and changing labour market.

“The new plan will build on the considerable progress we’ve made since we introduced the most significant reform to our vocational education and training system in 40 years – the Queensland Skills Plan 2006,” Mr Welford said.

“It recognises the fundamental need to boost participation across the workforce in order to address the skill shortages that are affecting Queensland’s economy.”

The new measures focus on the five key areas of:

• skilling existing workers and apprentices
• training the unemployed and under-employed
• helping young people move into further education, training and employment
• upgrading the vocational education and training (VET) sector, and
• recruiting for targeted professions.

“To increase Queensland’s labour force participation rate, the new plan includes expansion of the Skills First program to encourage recognition of prior learning and a new Skills Bank for records of qualifications,” Mr Welford said.

“New programs will help people in areas of disadvantage, skilled migrants, Indigenous people and 18 to 24-year-olds, and will promote careers in nursing, engineering and ICT.

“We’ll fund 450 training places for engineering associate professionals, 30 scholarships and 30 fellowships for vocational health educators, and a new Nursing Clinical Education Best Practice program, and bring together schools, vocational education and training providers, the higher education sector and industry to promote a more positive image of ICT.

“The plan includes a dedicated Indigenous Employment and Training Strategy to boost the state’s employment and training of Indigenous people. Assistance for young people will include paid work placements, expansion of the Get Set for Work program and a new electronic resource, the Youth Career Information Framework.

“Under the new plan, modernisation of TAFE facilities will be accelerated with an investment of $280 million over the next four years, including $54.7 million in 2008-2009 for the four SkillsTech Australia campuses throughout the state.”

Mr Welford launched the Queensland Skills Plan 2008 today and will travel to six regional centres to outline the new measures—on 1 September in Mackay; on 2 September in Mount Isa; 3 September in Townsville and Cairns; and 4 September in Rockhampton and Hervey Bay.

Media contact: Marnie Stitz or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000