Help for young people to boost our economy

The Queensland Skills Plan 2008 will help young people make the transition from school to further education, training and employment.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford said young people were one of the key groups targeted in the new plan, which was launched today.

“As the population ages leaving the workforce with labour shortages, industry is turning increasingly to our state’s schools to secure its future labour supply,” Mr Welford said.

“Recent reforms to vocational education and training have focused on retaining young people in education or training until the age of 17 to achieve a Queensland Certificate of Education, a Certificate III vocational qualification or full-time employment.

“The Queensland Skills Plan 2008 will increase the flow of career information to our students and their engagement with industry.

“To help young people make decisions about jobs, courses and career paths, a new electronic resource, the Youth Career Information Framework, will carry information about school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs) and vocational education and training (VET) options.

“Our Government is working to double participation in SATs from 2006 to 2010, and we’re on target to achieve this with 8745 students commencing SATs in 2007.”

Mr Welford said the Queensland Skills Plan 2008 would reinforce linkages between industry and schools and implement more Gateway Schools projects.

“Gateway Schools are currently delivering specialised education and industry training to students in Years 8-12 in the aviation, wine tourism, mining and energy, ICT, manufacturing and engineering, and building and construction industries,” he said.

“This includes industry-specific curriculum and forging links with local industry through structured work experience to ensure a seamless and accelerated track from learning to employment and giving industry an important recruitment tool.

“The successful Get Set for Work program, which targets students who have left school early, are at risk of leaving early or are not ready to commit to vocational training, will be expanded to include employment assistance for students aged up to 19.

“Our Government will continue to deliver the YouthWorX Strategy offering tailored assistance, including paid work placements, job preparation assistance and accredited training, to 18 to 24-year-olds who are finding it difficult to secure full- time work.”

Mr Welford will outline the Queensland Skills Plan 2008 at six regional centres over the next week.

Media contact: Marnie Stitz or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000