SkillsIQ have released Draft 1 products for qualifications in Travel, Tourism, Hospitality and Events. These qualifications sit within the SIT Training Package. Industry feedback is welcome on these products and will be accepted until 5pm AEST Monday August 9th.
Further information about these products including links to webinars can be found below; 
Tourism
Travel
Events 
Hospitality. 

​To assist delivery of high-quality training and development for regional athletes
McGowan Government will continue to support the Regional Athlete Support Program (RASP), with $3 million of funding delivered over three years through Royalties for Regions
 
RASP grants have been provided to the following Regional Talented Development Network. academies, programs, and networks:
 
South West Academy of Sport - $235,000
Midwest Academy of Sport - $200,000
Peel Regional Academy of Sports - $100,000
Broome Talent Program - $60,000
Pilbara Sports Academy - $60,000
Great Southern Sports Talent Association - $50,000
Goldfields Sport Development Network - $30,000
Esperance Talent Development Program - $25,000
Wheatbelt Athlete Support Program - $25,000

For more information click here 

Premier Mark McGowan has announced a range of immediate initiatives to support Western Australia's skilled worker needs and confirmed the rescheduled Skills Summit will take place on Friday, July 30. The event was postponed late last month due to WA's four-day circuit breaker COVD-19 lockdown. Initiatives include:

• $5.2 million incentive for businesses to employ 200 new mature age apprentices
• $4 million for 12-month extension to Apprentice and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive
• Pathways to attract onshore skilled migrants and interstate workers expanded
• New partnership to grow tourism and hospitality workforce
• Rents frozen on public sector housing in regional WA, supporting worker retention
• Western Australia's Skills Summit rescheduled to Friday, July 30, 2021 

Premier McGowan also officially announced FutureNow's partnership with Tourism WA to develop career programs for high-school students to highlight the vibrant career opportunities in tourism and hospitality. The program will include interactive demonstrations at the Skills West Careers Expo and a 'chef ambassador' program targeting students and teachers looking to upskill, and demonstrating the exciting and demanding career of a qualified chef.

Read Premier McGowan's full media statement 

The cultural, social and economic impact that the arts organisation ARTRAGE has delivered to Western Australia is revealed in its 2020/21 Impact Report. More than 500,000 attendances were recorded across its programs that include FRINGE WORLD Festival, Rooftop Movies and Girls School Cinema. 

Read the report

The state government has released its whole-of-government digital strategy. Four years in the making, Digital Strategy for Western Australian Government 2021-2025: Convenient, smart, and secure services for all Western Australians is aimed at improving the way state agencies deliver services. The four priorities of the Strategy are  Better Services, Informed Decisions, Safe and Secure, and Digitally Inclusive - which includes a commitment to expand the government's digital skills programs to "ensure that Western Australians have skills for the digital age".
Read the full media statement 
Explore the strategy

Nominations are now open for the 2021 state Heritage Awards. The awards recognise the outstanding contribution of private owners, volunteers, professionals, organisations, local governments and State Government agencies in promoting and conserving Western Australia's heritage. The WA Heritage Awards  showcase the work being done across our communities to conserve, protect and promote State Registered heritage places - places that tell stories from our State's history.
Nominations are sought for professional and individual contributions, interpretation and community-based projects, public or private organisations that are setting standards in heritage tourism, conservation and adaptive reuse or generally champion our heritage places.
Read more and register

Skills Impact have published validation drafts for Horse care projects that sit within the Animal Care and Management Training Package. The content will be open for stakeholder comment until July 6th. 

The Perth Royal Show will return in 2021, with the state government announcing $4 million dollars to assist the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia to relaunch the event. Funding is part of the Getting the Show Back on the Road program which has been expanded include tourism events. 

Premier Mark McGowan said "The events industry plays such an important role in our community, supporting local jobs, the arts and our economy... I'd encourage Western Australians to visit this year's Royal Show for an enjoyable day out with family and friends and to support the businesses and industry sectors recovering from the impacts of COVID-19"

Read the full media statement 

The very first Perth International Cabaret Festival (PICF) will launch this Saturday, 19th June, at His Majesty's Theatre. Festival organisers describe cabaret as honouring "the great tradition of storytelling, and more particularly, storytelling set to music... Perth International Cabaret Festival will create a dazzling and inspirational atmosphere filled with great humour, imagination and glamour and will be an intrinsic part of our great Australian storytelling landscape."
Artists include international cabaret star Meow Meow, virtuoso guitarist Lior, and Noongar singing sensation Gina Williams. The festival runs until 27th June.

​Explore the program and book tickets

Skills Impact, the Service Skills Organisation responsible for the Racing and Breeding sector have released their Annual update which outlines work that has been completed and a proposed schedule of new activity. Feedback on the update may be provided to FutureNow before 28 June by contacting Garry Scott gscott@futurenow.org.au or Julie Hobbs jhobbs@futurenow.org.au.