August forum puts apprenticeships in the spotlight

Apprenticeships and traineeships will be the focus of a major NCVER forum in Melbourne on Friday, 15 August 2008.

NCVER Managing Director, Tom Karmel, said the one-day event reflected the importance of apprenticeships within the thinking of the government, industry and the VET sector.

Apprenticeships: Sustaining Australia’s skills base will combine research and statistical analysis on apprenticeships—a major element of NCVER’s activities—with robust discussion of issues. It will include input from employers, unions, government, training providers and policy-makers.

Dr Karmel said the forum aimed to unravel the maze by:

• providing a firm evidence base on the growth in apprenticeship numbers over the past decade and the drivers of that growth
• enhancing understanding of the contribution apprenticeships make to Australia’s stock of skills
• promoting public dialogue on options for the future.

“A key element of the forum and one that I am looking forward to is an exploration of the future of apprenticeships”, Dr Karmel said.

"While the current apprentice and trainee system has served Australia well, it is healthy from time to time to ask the question: Is this the best it could be; are there ways to make the training more effective?"

“We want the day to be informative and thought provoking", he said. 

Highlights of the day will include a lunchtime address by Philip Bullock, the inaugural Chair of Skills Australia, and a panel discussion of industry leaders lead by Peter Mares of ABC Radio National.

The Apprenticeships: Sustaining Australia’s skills base forum will take place in the conference facilities at Telstra Dome, Melbourne.

The event is timed to allow interstate attendees to fly in and out on the day.

For further information and to register, go to www.ncver.edu.au/newsevents/sustaining/forum.html.