Apprenticeships and traineeships

Employment of Apprentices and Trainees through Group Training Organisations

A new scheme will be introduced in 2022 to provide small-to-medium enterprises with access to an additional 300 apprentices and trainees (150 in 2022 and 150 in 2023) to work on government projects through group training organisations. The Additional Apprentices and Trainees Employed through Group Training Organisations budget measure is allocated $32.381 million over four years ($2.701 in 2021-22) (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 384).

Employer Incentive for Adult Apprentices

The Employer Incentive for Adult Apprentices initiative is allocated $5.2 million over 2021-22 to 2024-25 ($2.2 million in 2021-22) to support 200 mature age apprentices. The initiative will provide an incentive payment to employers that covers 100 per cent of the wage gap between adult and junior apprentices (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, pp. 120 and 123).

Extension of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive

Introduced as part of the COVID-19 response, the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive (ATRI) initiative provides an incentive payment to employers to re-engage apprentices or trainees who have had their training contracts cancelled. The Extension of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive initiative will be extended by 12 months from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022, at an estimated cost of $4.1 million (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, p. 123).

Apprenticeship and Traineeship Administration and Regulation

The Apprenticeship and Traineeship Administration and Regulation service provided by the Department of Training and Workforce Development includes registration of training contracts and administration of contract variations, educating participants on training contract and legislation requirements, dispute resolution and monitoring of legislative compliance. The service includes the cost of grants and administration associated with the Employer Incentive Scheme introduced in the 2019-20 budget. The net cost of service for 2021-22 is estimated at $395.751 million (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 389).

Employment

Defence Industry Veterans Employment Scheme

The Defence Industry Veterans Employment Scheme (DIVES) scholarship program will be introduced to encourage veterans to take up a career in the defence industry. The program will be delivered by Defence West, in partnership with industry, starting in 2021. The scholarship will support defence veterans to enter engineering trades and/or upskill into non-trade defence industry careers. The program will be co-funded between the WA Government and industry, with each party contributing $5 000 per scholarship with a commitment to co-funding 20 scholarships a year. The initiative has been allocated $130 000 for 2021-22, with $135 000 allocated each year for 2022-23 and 2023-24 (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 202; Jobs & Skills WA: Defence Industry Veterans Employment Scheme).

Improve Access and Equity for Learner Drivers Pilot

As an outcome of the inaugural Skills Summit (see the Industry section below), a state-wide pilot program, the Improve Access and Equity for Learner Drivers Pilot, will be introduced to assist eligible young people to access a supervising driver or vehicle and complete the required supervised driving hours for a driver's licence. The program aims to improve employment opportunities for young people and will cost $4.9 million in 2021-22 (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 144).

WA Jobs Plan - Aboriginal Ranger Program expansion

To provide more opportunities for Aboriginal employment and training, $50 million will be spent over four years ($4.4 million in 2021-22) to continue and expand the Aboriginal Ranger Program. The program supports jobs in remote and regional land and sea management and tourism activities. The initiative forms part of the WA Jobs Plan for the Regions and fulfils an election commitment (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, pp. 85, 149 and 151).

Industry

Skills Summit priority initiatives

A Skills Summit was held on 30 July 2021 with over 130 industry leaders to identify a range of actions to address the workforce pressures being experienced by businesses as a result of the State's stronger than expected economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. A range of strategies are being implemented to attract skilled workers to WA, develop regional solutions and harness the skills and experience of the under-utilised segments of the labour force. New strategies will be progressed in partnership with industry. Priority initiatives to attract and retain skilled workers include:

• Bringing forward 100 more places to the Adult Apprentice Employer Incentive, supporting 200 additional mature age apprentices into training (see the Apprenticeship and traineeship section above). The program reached its 100-place cap in just over a two-week period.
• An additional 5000 onshore places requested from the Commonwealth Government under the State Nominated Migration Program following the addition of 134 occupations to the program.
• Implement initiatives to help disadvantaged learner drivers obtain a driver's licence (see the Employment section above). The Commonwealth Government has also announced a program to assist job seekers to gain a driver's licence which is estimated to assist up to 330 000 Australians.
• A new partnership with the Wirrpanda Foundation will provide Aboriginal jobseekers aged 15-24 with targeted assistance to address specific barriers to employment.
• A targeted advertising campaign to attract interstate and New Zealand workers and increase participation of under-represented groups in WA.
• Holding a series of targeted regional skills summits across WA in recognition of the unique skills challenges faced in the regions (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 384; Fact sheet: WA's strong economy and WA jobs; Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, p. 7).

WA Jobs Plan

The WA Jobs Plan focuses on preferencing Western Australians for WA jobs, WA manufacturing, creating jobs in regional WA, reducing interstate fly in fly out (FIFO), green jobs, METRONET, more training at TAFE and school and continuing to diversify the State's economy. The training sector is supporting targeted industries such as defence, manufacturing, future battery and critical minerals, hydrogen, tourism and agribusiness through workforce development planning, new curriculum and training programs, prioritisation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) training and the provision of career information to the community. The Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation is leading the implementation of the WA Jobs Plan, and $5.1 million over four years is allocated to establish a WA Jobs Taskforce (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, pp. 202 and 384; Fact sheet: WA's strong economy and WA jobs; Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, pp. 6-7 and 102).

WA Jobs Plan: Local Manufacturing and Production, Creating Western Australian Jobs and Training for the Jobs of the Future

Investment in road, rail and transport is estimated at $3.4 billion in 2021-22 (a 28 per cent increase over spending of $2.7 billion in 2020-21), and a total of $13 billion over the four years to 2024-25. METRONET projects account for a substantial proportion of this spending, with $5.7 billion committed over the next four years, and an additional $817 million in METRONET-related spending allocated in the 2021-22 budget. The local railcar construction and building program is underway at Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing and Assembly Facility (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, p. 164; Fact sheet: WA's strong economy and WA jobs).

Synergy Workforce Transition

Synergy, an electricity utilities Government Trading Enterprise, is on track for the planned closure of the Muja C Unit 5 by October 2022 and Unit 6 by October 2024. During 2020, Synergy's Workforce Transition Plan was supported by 18 transition workshops, three employee roadshows and a series of information sessions. Synergy is now entering the next phase of its Workforce Transition Plan which supports 270 full-time affected employees through an assessment of skills, redeployment, upskilling, training and development programs, assistance with job search, financial planning support and preparation for retirement (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 2, p. 794).

National Agreements

The total Commonwealth Payments for specific purposes and National Partnership Payments to Western Australia for Skills and Workforce Development are estimated at $185.9 million for 2021-22.

National Skills and Workforce Development Specific Purpose Payment

WA has been allocated $164.1 million under the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development for 2021-22 (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, p. 335).

Recurrent expenditure on training service delivery will increase by $6.1 million over the forward estimates period, reflecting additional Commonwealth funding provisioned under the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, p. 123).

National Partnership Payments

• Skilling Australians Fund - $19.9 million
• JobTrainer Fund - nil
• Revitalising TAFE Campuses across Australia - $2 million (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, p. 335).

The WA Government is negotiating with the Commonwealth Government regarding the extension of a JobTrainer Fund National Partnership Agreement and the proposed new National Skills Agreement to replace the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development and the National Partnership on the Skilling Australians Fund (NPSAF). With matched funding from the Government, the JobTrainer Fund has supported free or low-cost Job Ready programs and courses to support Western Australians to reskill or upskill for jobs in high demand (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 385).

Regulation

Regulatory Services to RTOs

The Training Accreditation Council (the Council) has the statutory responsibility for providing regulatory services to registered training organisations (RTOs) operating solely in WA. The Council is established under the Vocational Education and Training Act 1996 and is supported by the Department of Training and Workforce Development through the services of the Council Secretariat. Regulatory Services to RTOs include quality assurance and recognition of vocational education and training (VET) services. The net cost of services is estimated at $2.425 million for 2021-22 (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 392).

Training providers and programs

Extension of the Lower Fees, Local Skills Initiative and Fee Freeze to 2025

The WA Government is building a skilled workforce for the future by offering free or low-fee short courses and reducing fees by up to 72 per cent on Lower Fees, Local Skills qualifications. Fee reductions have been extended to the end of 2025 and are targeted at industries experiencing employment growth and those that are important for the diversification of the economy including the care sector, agriculture, construction, defence, manufacturing, hospitality and tourism. Fees for other courses have also been frozen until 2025. The Extension of the Lower Fees, Local Skills Initiative and Fee Freeze to 2025 budget measure is estimated at $34.542 million in 2021-22, with a further $211.445 million allocated over the forward estimates (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 384).

Additional Training Places for Secondary School Students

$29.8 million has been allocated over four years ($2.927 million in 2021-22) to expand the number of VET places by 8 000 for year 11 and 12 school students. The increase is on top of the additional 1350 VET places introduced in 2021 (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, pp. 122-123; Fact sheet: Investing in education and training).

Vocational Education and Training Taster Program for Year 9 Students

$19.2 million has been allocated over the forward estimates period ($2.705 million in 2021-22) to deliver a variety of short courses to year 9 students at TAFE Colleges. The Career Taster Programs for Year 9 Students initiative, designed to provide students with earlier exposure to the career options that VET pathways offer, will be available from 2022. The WA Government is already engaging with industry, schools and other key stakeholders to inform the program's development, with regional consultation about to commence (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, p. 123; Fact sheet: Investing in education and training).

TAFE College Lecturers Industry Placement

An additional $9.9 million will be spent over 2021-22 to 2024-25 to enable TAFE College lecturers to return to industry, allowing them to upskill and maintain industry qualifications and skills. To enable VET teachers in schools to undertake industry professional learning, additional expenditure of $29.5 million over the forward estimates period has been approved within the Education Agency to fund relief teachers (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, pp. 121 and 123).

Kimberley Juvenile Justice Strategy

As part of the WA Government's Kimberley Juvenile Justice Strategy, the North Regional TAFE College will spend an additional $2.6 million over 2021-22 and 2022-23 to continue delivery of a TAFE learning program that provides industry and workplace skills training for young people in Broome and Kununurra (Budget paper no. 3: Economic and fiscal outlook, p. 123).

COVID-19 Response to upgrade existing TAFE infrastructure

$184.3 million is provided as part of the COVID-19 Response to upgrade existing TAFE infrastructure across regional and metropolitan WA. In addition, the Government has committed to a $25 million investment in modern equipment (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 385 and pp. 393-395).

Training and Workforce Development services

The Education and Training portfolio delivers and regulates education for Western Australian students, and includes the Education, Training and Workforce Development, and TAFE Colleges agencies. The service summary for Training and Workforce Development provides an estimated total cost of services for 2021-22 of $730.244 million comprising:

• VET Workforce Planning and Policy Development - $20.141 million. The Department of Training and Workforce Development works closely with industry, the community and across Government in gathering and analysing workforce data and intelligence to identify the State's workforce development and training priorities. The Department develops policies and programs that promote the effective and efficient operation of the State's VET system. Policy and program development is aligned to the Department's strategic direction for workforce development and training including higher education and the school sector (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 387).
• Jobs and Skills Centre Services provide education and training information, and career guidance to the Western Australian community, as well as employment, training and mentoring services to Aboriginal people and communities. Under the Government's election commitment, these services have largely been transitioned to Jobs and Skills Centres located at the TAFE Colleges. The net cost of service for 2021-22 is estimated at $15.777 million (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 388).
• Skilled Migration, Including Overseas Qualification Assessment - $1.469 million. Skilled Migration, Including Overseas Qualification Assessment assesses applications from intending skilled migrants to WA and assesses post-secondary qualifications gained overseas for Western Australian residents. The service aims to facilitate skilled migration to WA to supplement the local workforce and enable overseas-trained residents to access education, training and employment through recognition of overseas qualifications (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 388).
• Apprenticeship and Traineeship Administration and Regulation - $52.606 million (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 389).
• Procurement of Training - $395.751 million. This service comprises the purchasing of training delivery services from the TAFE Colleges and private training providers in accordance with the State's priorities and the State Training Plan (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 390).
• Recruitment and Management of International Students - $13.059 million. This service involves the marketing of Western Australian TAFE Colleges and public schools offshore and onshore, and managing admissions, compliance and the welfare of international students according to relevant legislation (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 391).
• Services to TAFE Colleges - $36.536 million. Support Services to TAFE Colleges include the supply, management and maintenance of information and communications technology (ICT), finance and human resource services. This also incorporates infrastructure management for TAFE Colleges including maintenance, administration and strategic development of land and buildings used to deliver publicly-funded training in campuses across the State (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 392).
• $2.425 million for regulatory services to RTOs (Budget paper no. 2: Budget statements volume 1, p. 392).