GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE FOR RECOGNISING THE SKILLS OF OLDER WORKERS
14 August 2011
Do you have employees with skills but no formal qualifications?
If you have mature age employees (50+) with trade experience but no formal qualifications, you may be able to have their skills assessed for their existing competencies and training for any gaps to help them get their skills formally recognised through More Help for Mature Age Workers. This new Australian Government program provides up to $4400 (GST inclusive) per eligible worker for skills assessments and gap training (if needed), leading to a nationally recognised qualification.
The Australian Government is making $30 million available over the next three years, so that 7500 mature age workers with trade relevant skills but no formal qualifications will have the opportunity to have their skills assessed and formally recognised. More Help for Mature Age Workers is aimed at workers aged 50 years and over and provides a focus on skilling up mature age workers to address both productivity and skills shortages.
The Department of Educational Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) invites applications from employers in industries where there are a high proportion of trade occupations under the new More Help for Mature Age Workers initiative. Occupations generally classified by the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) as Technicians and Trade Workers; Machinery Operators and Drivers and Labourers are being targeted. Priority industries targeted include the Construction, Manufacturing, Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services.
The grant can also apply to small business owners who are in this targeted age group and operate in these industries.
The initiative builds upon the $43 million in government support through a range of Experience+ programs and services to help employers attract and retain mature workers including Experience+ Training, which aims to help mature age workers to remain engaged in the workforce and to share their knowledge and experience to apprentices and trainees.
Application Forms and Guideline are available at: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/Programs/ExpPlus/Pages/MoreHelpforMatureAgeWorkers.aspx
Further information about More Help for Mature Age Workers and related programs are available at www.deewr.gov.au/experienceplus or by emailing experience@deewr.gov.au or calling 13 17 64.
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The Australian Government has recently released its response to the senate inquiry into Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) and has responded to a number of recommendations that were made as an outcome of the inquiry. The inquiry, which attracted 119 submissions, acknowledged the central role that ISC’s play in the Australian VET system and reflected an overwhelming message that ISC’s were well valued by their key stakeholders. The report echoed a number of recommendations for improvement in the operation of the ISCs and also reported that a number of the inquiries recommendations had already been acted upon and were encapsulated in the new DEEWR funding agreements.
For a full copy of the report go to:
www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/eet_ctte/industry_skills_councils/index.htm
