Doing an apprenticeship or traineeship part-time has been out of reach for many elite athletes because of managing the demands of sport with the requirement to fulfil a minimum number of hours in order to gain a qualification. The new Elite Athletes Apprenticeship and Traineeship (EAAT) arrangements, announced today by Minister for Education and Training, the Honourable Sue Ellery BA MLC, provide increased flexibility and make the system more equitable for elite athletes such as AFL players and Olympians. Minimum part-time hours will change from 15 or 20 hours per week to 7.5 hours per week for elite athletes, averaged over six-month periods.​ FutureNow worked closely with Western Australian sports industry stakeholders to support the development of the new arrangements.
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Read the full ministerial release 
Visit the Jobs and Skills website for eligibility criteria information 

Air services on Rex airlines to Albany, Esperance and Carnarvon have been increased. Services on the Albany and Esperance air routes will double to eight per week, while the Carnarvon air route will increase from three to five weekly return services.
The McGowan Government has also increased access to discounted community fares on Rex airlines by relaxing conditions around the purchase of community airfares, allowing all remaining seats to be sold at community fare prices within 7 days prior to departure, instead of 24-hours. The ability to purchase the community fare more than 30 days prior to departure remains in place.
The one-way community fare is priced at $139 for Albany, $138 for Esperance, $158 for Monkey Mia and $199 for Carnarvon and it is available to everyone for travel each way.  Media statement

Live music in Western Australia is returning with up to 4000 fans scheduled to attend the first major live music event following the COVID-19 pandemic.
WA Unlocked will be held at HBF Stadium on Saturday July 18, and will feature popular local acts Crooked Colours, ShockOne, Slumberjack, and Tina Says.
This comes after the Premier's Phase 4 announcement to further ease restrictions around capacity within venues commencing on June 27. It is anticipated that Western Australia will move to Phase 5, which will see all restrictions lifted, on July 18. Media statement

Construction has begun on the locally made Matagarup Bridge zip-line and climb infrastructure, with the McGowan Government revealing the zip-line landing spot and confirming the attractions are set to open this summer.
The bridge climb will include a 314-step trek up the bridge's main arch, ascending about 70 metres to the 'sky view' platform, where people will have the option of doing the zip-line experience, which will stretch over 400 metres from the peak of the bridge to the landing platform on the Burswood Park foreshore.
Final negotiations are now underway with the preferred proponents to operate the attractions: a consortium of PGA (Services) Pty Ltd and local multi award-winning tourism operator and member of FutureNow’s Tourism Industry Advisory group, Two Feet and a Heartbeat. Media statement

In partnership with the WA Visitor Centre in Perth, WAITOC - Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council - staged a competition in search of a decorative Welcome to Country from a local Aboriginal artist.
The winning artist Rickesha Burdett, will soon see her artwork featured as a stunning display across the ceiling of the Visitor Centre reception area. It extends a story and a traditional welcome which illustrates that the region now known as Perth, sits within a landscape that has been home to the Noongar Wadjuk people for over 40,000 years.
WAITOC Chair, Doc Reynolds, commented, “Protocols for welcoming visitors to country have been a part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures for thousands of years, offering them safe passage and protection during their journey. Today, the Western Australian Visitor Centres extend a perfect contemporary venue for this ancient custom to welcome our visitors from across Australia and around the world through art from the local custodians”.
Make sure to visit the WA Visitor Centre to see the unique and vibrant Welcome to Country.

Regional tourism organisation, Destination Perth has developed an engaging campaign to encourage locals to rediscover some exciting experiences to rekindle their love for Perth. The campaign, aligned with the State government’s Wander out Yonder tourism initiative, highlights some great Perth promotions and the vibrant personalities behind local tourism businesses that have refocused, reskilled and reimagined their offerings to reconnect with their customers following COVID-19. The accompanying video features a member of FutureNow’s Tourism Industry Advisory group, Adam Saunders of Explore Tours Perth and Golden Grove Orchard, who reskilled to find new ways to do business.

In addition to the new Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re‑engagement Incentive for employers who take on displaced apprentices or trainees, the McGowan Labor Government has unveiled a comprehensive $57 million package for the training sector as part of the WA Recovery Plan.
The Lower Fees, Local Skills initiative that rolled out before COVID-19 will be expanded to a further 39 high priority courses that will have TAFE fees cut be up to 72 per cent. The program now includes 73 courses in total, providing Western Australians access to affordable training to help them get back into jobs that align with the State's immediate economic needs following COVID-19.
 
The package also includes $25 million for 'Free TAFE Short Courses' that have been developed in consultation with industry to engage displaced workers, including women and young people, and meet immediate and emerging skill requirements as the economy recovers. The initial list of 15 short courses will be available to around 13,500 Western Australians and includes courses in hospitality, logistics, cyber security, agriculture, civil construction and small business. Many of the short courses have built-in foundation digital skills and literacy and numeracy training, and can also be used as a credit towards a full qualification from the expanded Lower Fees, Local Skills initiative.
 
Enrolments open on Monday July 6, 2020. For more information visit http://www.jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/ or contact your local Jobs and Skills Centre on 13 64 64.

Up to $6,000 in financial support is now available to employers who take on a displaced apprentice or trainee. The new Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive provides employers with a one-off payment of $6,000 for hiring an apprentice and $3,000 for hiring a trainee.

Employers who take on an apprentice or trainee whose training contract was terminated on, or after, March 1, 2020, are eligible to receive the payment. 

The incentive will help employers maintain a pipeline of skilled workers in Western Australia and is available until June 30, 2021 from the Department of Training and Workforce Development.

The financial boost for businesses follows the recent announcement by the State Government to cover the training costs for more than 3,000 apprentices and trainees, who have had their contracts cancelled or suspended, to continue their 'off the job' training for up to six months.

Read more about this government initiative.
For more about the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive,

Visit  or call the Apprenticeship Office Helpline on 13 19 54.
Further support is also available at TAFE Jobs and Skills Centres or call 13 64 64.

The annual Western Australian Training Awards will go ahead in 2020, following the State's staged easing of COVID-19 restrictions.  Applications opened on July 1, with the State's top apprentices, trainees and students encouraged to apply. 

Individual winners will receive $3,000 in cash and may be eligible to compete against the nation's best at the Australian Training Awards in November.

This year, winners will be recognised across five individual categories. These are: WA Apprentice of the Year; WA School-based Apprentice of the Year; WA Trainee of the Year; WA Vocational Student of the Year; and WA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year.

Applications close August 14, 2020 and winners will be announced in October.

For more information or to apply, visit https://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/watrainingawards/

The newly established National Skills Commission has launched a website and its first report: A snapshot in time: The Australian labour market and COVID-19. 

The creation of the National Skills Commission (NSC) was a key recommendation in the Strengthening Skills: Expert Review of Australia’s Vocational Education and Training System (the Joyce review), completed in 2019. The Commission is intended to provide expert advice and national leadership on the Australian labour market, current and future skills needs and workforce development issues. The new report "explores the impact COVID-19 has had on Australia’s labour market and how the work of the NSC will support the recovery."

Learn more about the National Skills Commission here
Read the full report here
Watch interim National Skills Commissioner Adam Boyton introduce the NSC here