❓ The Premier addresses a question regarding the McGowan Labor government's investment in TAFE and training initiatives to support young Western Australians entering the workforce, highlighting new programs, funding for small businesses employing apprentices, and criticism of the previous government's TAFE fee increases.
AnsweredQoN 436Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TAFE — TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES
436. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Premier:
On behalf of the member for Southern
River, I would like to welcome the staff and students of Campbell Primary
School, who are in the public gallery today.
My
question is to the Premier. I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
commitment to deliver a strong TAFE sector and ensure young Western Australian
workers have access to quality training. Can the Premier update the house on
the McGowan Labor government's investment in TAFE and training, and the
initiatives it has implemented in its first two years, to support young Western
Australians in getting the skills they need to enter the workforce?
OPPORTUNITIES
436. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Premier:
On behalf of the member for Southern
River, I would like to welcome the staff and students of Campbell Primary
School, who are in the public gallery today.
My
question is to the Premier. I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
commitment to deliver a strong TAFE sector and ensure young Western Australian
workers have access to quality training. Can the Premier update the house on
the McGowan Labor government's investment in TAFE and training, and the
initiatives it has implemented in its first two years, to support young Western
Australians in getting the skills they need to enter the workforce?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Wanneroo, an
excellent teacher before she arrived in Parliament.
My government has been working very
hard to invest in and rebuild TAFE across Western Australia. We know that that
is crucial for making sure that young Western Australians and those who wish to
retrain have the opportunity to get into the workforce. Yesterday I made an
important announcement with business to ensure a new array of courses at both
schools and TAFE colleges, to give Western Australians opportunities for
qualifications in automation.
Over the time we have been in office
we have done a number of things to enhance TAFE. Firstly, there is $182 million
for the employer incentive scheme, which is now accessible by small businesses
across the state. Previous incentive schemes were not accessible by small business.
For the first time ever, small businesses can get thousands of dollars in
incentive payments to employ apprentices in Western Australia. This is the
first time this has ever been done, and it shows our support for small
business.
Secondly, we have overhauled the
skilled migration occupation list scheme. Under the previous government,
bricklayers and plumbers were being fast-tracked into our state to take jobs
from Western Australians; there were people with those skills who were unemployed
in Western Australia. Obviously, we revamped that list to make sure that Western
Australians were given priority.
We are opening 13 Jobs and Skills
Centres at TAFE colleges across the state, most of them in the country. They
are a one-stop shop for parents and young people to go in, find out about and
access opportunities, and connect with courses and employers. That has never
been done before. We are making sure that TAFE is much more connected to its
potential customers.
One of the first things we did as a government
on coming into office was to freeze TAFE fees so that Western Australians,
particularly young Western Australians, could get into TAFE. Before that, they
were being smashed by the massive increase in TAFE fees put in place by the
Liberal–National government. What happened? The now Leader of the
Opposition was then the Minister for Training and on her watch the fees for
electrical engineering courses at TAFE increased from $2 200 in 2013 to $12 700
in 2016; a diploma of nursing went from $1 860
in 2013 to $9 360 in 2016; and a diploma of surveying went from $1 750 in 2013
to $6 300 three years later . What was the consequence of that? What was
the consequence of what the now Leader of the Liberal Party did? There was a 24.5
per cent drop in the number of people enrolling in TAFE in Western Australia.
The Liberal Party was the enemy of Western Australians
being trained for our jobs. The Leader of the Opposition was the one who put up course fees and smashed enrolments in our TAFE colleges across Western Australia.
We will remind the people of Western Australia every single day that the
Liberal Party is the enemy of employment in Western Australia, and in
particular is the enemy of Western Australians accessing the jobs that should
be our birthright.
excellent teacher before she arrived in Parliament.
My government has been working very
hard to invest in and rebuild TAFE across Western Australia. We know that that
is crucial for making sure that young Western Australians and those who wish to
retrain have the opportunity to get into the workforce. Yesterday I made an
important announcement with business to ensure a new array of courses at both
schools and TAFE colleges, to give Western Australians opportunities for
qualifications in automation.
Over the time we have been in office
we have done a number of things to enhance TAFE. Firstly, there is $182 million
for the employer incentive scheme, which is now accessible by small businesses
across the state. Previous incentive schemes were not accessible by small business.
For the first time ever, small businesses can get thousands of dollars in
incentive payments to employ apprentices in Western Australia. This is the
first time this has ever been done, and it shows our support for small
business.
Secondly, we have overhauled the
skilled migration occupation list scheme. Under the previous government,
bricklayers and plumbers were being fast-tracked into our state to take jobs
from Western Australians; there were people with those skills who were unemployed
in Western Australia. Obviously, we revamped that list to make sure that Western
Australians were given priority.
We are opening 13 Jobs and Skills
Centres at TAFE colleges across the state, most of them in the country. They
are a one-stop shop for parents and young people to go in, find out about and
access opportunities, and connect with courses and employers. That has never
been done before. We are making sure that TAFE is much more connected to its
potential customers.
One of the first things we did as a government
on coming into office was to freeze TAFE fees so that Western Australians,
particularly young Western Australians, could get into TAFE. Before that, they
were being smashed by the massive increase in TAFE fees put in place by the
Liberal–National government. What happened? The now Leader of the
Opposition was then the Minister for Training and on her watch the fees for
electrical engineering courses at TAFE increased from $2 200 in 2013 to $12 700
in 2016; a diploma of nursing went from $1 860
in 2013 to $9 360 in 2016; and a diploma of surveying went from $1 750 in 2013
to $6 300 three years later . What was the consequence of that? What was
the consequence of what the now Leader of the Liberal Party did? There was a 24.5
per cent drop in the number of people enrolling in TAFE in Western Australia.
The Liberal Party was the enemy of Western Australians
being trained for our jobs. The Leader of the Opposition was the one who put up course fees and smashed enrolments in our TAFE colleges across Western Australia.
We will remind the people of Western Australia every single day that the
Liberal Party is the enemy of employment in Western Australia, and in
particular is the enemy of Western Australians accessing the jobs that should
be our birthright.
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