Perth will be a more attractive destination for international students, with the Federal Government reinstating Perth's status as a regional city, helping to create local jobs.

In response to recent changes to visa and migration settings, the State Government requested for Perth to be re-classified as a 'region' for international students. This will come into effect on November 16.

The Federal Government, with the support of Western Australian businesses and universities, agreed to the change meaning international students will now be able to access incentives to undertake their study in Perth and will enable WA to increase its share in this market.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the State and Federal Government continued to work together to ensure that Australia's migration system meets the needs of our cities and regions.  "As a regional city, Perth will be an option for international students who want to study here, as they will now be eligible for an additional year in Australia on a post-study work visa," Minister Cormann said.   Read more

Netball fans have snapped up the opportunity to cheer on Australia's Samsung Diamonds in the final game of the 2019 Constellation Cup Series against the New Zealand Silver Ferns, with the encounter set to be played in front of a capacity crowd at RAC Arena this Sunday October 27.

According to event promoter TEG Live, the highly-anticipated game is likely to break the current crowd record for an international netball game at the venue, which stands at 12,365.

The winner of Sunday's match will claim the 2019 Constellation Cup as the series currently sits at 2-1 in New Zealand's favour. If the Silver Ferns win on Sunday, they will win the series outright and if the Diamonds are victorious, they will claim the Constellation Cup based on percentage.  Read more

The State Government introduced an Employer Incentive Scheme on 1 July to help thousands of Western Australian employers with the costs of employing an apprentice or new entrant trainee.
 
"The State Training Board has identified that cost is a significant barrier to taking on an apprentice or trainee. The Employer Incentive Scheme will help reduce this barrier and grow apprenticeship and traineeship commencements," Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery said.
 
Under the Employer Incentive Scheme, businesses will receive a base payment of up to $8,500 for employing an apprentice or new entrant trainee. It is estimated this scheme will extend State Government support to nearly 6,000 businesses.  Additional loadings will increase the payment for regional areas, employees with disability, priority occupations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, and apprentices aged between 21 to 30 years.   Read more

Go to the Jobs and Skills website to find out Who is Eligible and to download Fact Sheets.

A recent NCVER report shows clear differences in the profile of group training organisations (GTO) apprentices compared with direct employer apprentices. 

Group training organisations’ focus on providing pastoral care and ongoing support for apprentices and trainees has a positive effect on completions, according to a new report.  Findings also show that apprentice and trainee completion rates depend on a range of other attributes including employer size and apprentice demographics.

“Maximising apprenticeship completion rates has been a longstanding concern for governments because they represent the return on significant government investment in training,” said Simon Walker, Managing Director, NCVER. 

“Employing apprentices with group training organisations is one means of doing this, as they can provide the additional care and ongoing support required by some apprentices to successfully complete their training contract.”

Go to the NCVER Portal to download the report.

You are invited to have your say on the skill needs of the WA cultural tourism industry.
 
The WA Cultural Tourism Skill Needs survey will help identify the critical skill needs and staff shortages for WA businesses. The results of the survey will inform the State Government's Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy. FutureNow is one of several organisations deploying similar surveys, as the government is seeking wide-ranging input.
 
The survey should take around 5 minutes to complete and will close for responses on 31 October 2019.
Please click the link below to start the survey. Thank you for your contribution.
 
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GG5XVFZ

The State Government will reduce TAFE fees for selected high priority qualifications from next year, making training more affordable for thousands of local students. 
 
The 50 per cent fee reductions have been targeted to align with emerging skills shortages, the State's economic diversification strategy and important sectors of the local economy including aged and disability care, METRONET and civil construction, defence, hospitality and tourism.
 
The State Government works closely with industry to identify skills priorities, which will support new apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities in Western Australia.  Read more
 
For more information on the TAFE policy, go to the Jobs and Skills Centre website or telephone 13 64 64.

The State Government is conducting a week-long course for up to 20 Collie and Dwellingup residents to help them develop the skills to find a job in the local trails industry.    The training initiative is part of the Government's broader $10 million plan to create and maintain more than 180km of high-quality mountain bike and bushwalking trails in Collie and Dwellingup.
 
The five-day Job Ready Trail Construction Training pilot project will be held from November 18-22 at Roche Park Recreation Centre in Collie, and on nearby land managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).   Participants will be taught a range of practical trail building skills to help them become job-ready and able to apply for future entry level trail construction jobs.

The course is being organised by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and DBCA. For more information and to apply, contact steve.bennett@dlgsc.wa.gov.au. 
 
Read more

Tourism Research Australia's latest data reveals the number of visitors to WA, and their total spend, has again reached an all-time high.
 
According to the latest National Visitor Survey (NVS) and International Visitor Survey (IVS) results, which were released today, WA had a record-breaking 2.76 million out-of-state (international and interstate) visitors last financial year.
 
The number of total overnight visitors in 2018-19 was 11.6 million people who, together with day-trippers, spent $10.5 billion in the State - an increase of 16.4 per cent on the previous year. Of this, $4.9 billion (47 per cent) was spent in regional WA.    The number of overnight holiday visitors to Western Australia reached 4.7 million, an increase of 16.5 per cent on the previous year.  Read more
 
View the detailed NVS and IVS results for the year ending June 2019.
 

VenuesWest has enjoyed its most successful year ever, breaking records for attendances, events held, and funding reinvested in support of elite sport.
 
During the 2018-19 financial year, VenuesWest welcomed more than six million patrons and hosted 156 sporting and entertainment events - the organisation's best ever results in both categories.
 
The record-breaking success has resulted in the organisation contributing an all-time high $148 million to Western Australian elite sports training and competition.
 
The organisation attracted 2.4 million visitors for sport and fitness activities across its venues.  $11.5 million was reinvested back into capital upgrades at the venues, further supporting WA's high performance athletes and enhancing customers' experiences.  Read more

The State Government has formally commenced the long‑awaited sale process for the Western Australian TAB through the release of the Expression of Interest (EOI) to the market.
 
The open and competitive market process will require potential operators to demonstrate their operational capability and financial capacity to conduct wagering as well as confirm they understand the important relationship to be maintained with the local racing industry.
 
The deal will preserve operational funding for the racing industry and provide for a dedicated racing infrastructure fund from 35 per cent of the net sale proceeds.  The State Government will dedicate the remaining 65 per cent of net sale proceeds to a new women's and maternity hospital in Perth.
 
It is expected that the new wagering operator will be appointed by mid‑2020.  Read more
 
To access the EOI, visit http://www.tenders.wa.gov.au