2009 Australian Apprentices Taskforce: final report

This report records the Australian Apprentices Taskforce's activities from May to December 2009. The Taskforce was charged by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in April 2009 to undertake urgent work and make recommendations to COAG to support the engagement and the retention of apprentices during the economic downturn. Under the direction of the COAG Senior Officials VET Reform Working Group (SOVRWG), the Taskforce prepared an initial Discussion Paper, followed by an Options Paper for further consultation and testing of options, which culminated in an agreed Taskforce Report and Action Plan which was forwarded through the SOVRWG for consideration by COAG at its meeting on 7 December 2009. The report presents a factual account and chronology of the events and research findings supporting the proposals and identified support measures put forward by the Taskforce to mitigate the impact of the economic downturn on the apprenticeship system nationally. The report covers the following: Background and terms of reference; Agreed process including consultation and testing options; Commissioned research findings; Economic outlook and likely impacts on apprenticeship engagement and retention; Current support and global financial crisis (GFC) specific initiatives for apprentices/employers; COAG outcomes from 7 December 2009 meeting.

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