David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Will the minister advise the Senate how the Turnbull government's Skilling Australians Fund is providing long-term funding certainty to drive better outcomes for students, apprentices and employers?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Fawcett for his question and his strong interest in relation to the skills that Australians receive, particularly the skills they receive in non-university pathways to ensure that they are equipped to access job opportunities in the future and that our economy receives the types of skills in its potential employees that allow businesses to grow and the Australian economy to grow overall. That is why one of the stand-out policies announced in last night's budget was the new $1.5 billion Skilling Australians Fund—not another dodgy national partnership agreement, the likes of which those opposite have negotiated in the past and that just saw cost-shifting onto the Commonwealth, but a new, perpetual, fully funded Skilling Australians Fund to deliver investment in skills to fill Australian jobs, investment that will deliver around 300,000 new training opportunities and new apprenticeships over the next four years. This will give young Australians the opportunity to secure a great job, a great career—the types of careers that often mean they go on to be the small-business people and employers of the future, running their own businesses with the trade background they have secured and employing other Australians.

The Skilling Australians Fund would be targeted towards priority occupations and growth industries. These include but are not limited to key industries right across Australia, like tourism and hospitality, health and ageing, agriculture, engineering, manufacturing, building and construction, and the digital technologies. We are re-engineering the relationship between the Commonwealth and the states and territories in vocational education and training to ensure that every dollar the Commonwealth invests is matched by investment alongside it from the states and territories in the real creation of training places to support Australians to get the skills they need in the future.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Fawcett, a supplementary question?

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister inform the Senate of how apprentices, including in my home state of South Australia, will benefit from the new intensive mentoring support to help them complete their apprenticeships?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In addition to the $1½ billion Skilling Australians Fund, we are thrilled to be delivering a $60 million industry specialised mentoring service. I acknowledge that this commitment towards mentoring and services to support apprentices is widespread and has been advocated by Senator Griff from the Nick Xenophon Team as well as other senators. It will engage key industry and VET stakeholders to provide around 47,000 apprentices with the intensive support they need. The policy aim is, of course, to increase retention rates in Australian apprentices, particularly during the critical first two years of training, which can help lift completions, focusing especially on industries that are restructuring or transitioning, such as the South Australian automotive industry—which, of course, is also benefiting from the $100 million automotive advanced manufacturing investment that my colleague Senator Sinodinos is helping to deliver.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Fawcett, a final supplementary question?

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could the minister apprise the Senate as to how the budget's apprenticeship reforms have been received?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those who employ apprentices, those who create the opportunities for apprentices, have warmly welcomed these policies of the Turnbull government. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said:

We welcome the Skilling Australians Fund's efforts to improve the skills of the Australian workforce, particularly via apprenticeships.

Ai Group said:

It gives welcome support for apprenticeships and traineeships through the new Skilling Australians Fund.

And the Master Builders Association said that they welcome the announcement of the $1½ billion Skilling Australians Fund and the additional 300,000 apprentices in partnership with state and territory governments. They said that it is funding that should enable the training that leads to strong employment outcomes for young Australians in industries where there is jobs growth, such as the building and construction industry. This is about delivering real benefits for young Australians to access real jobs in the future and ensuring that there is the support to fill those places and create the job opportunities for young Australians.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper

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