As part of the WA Recovery Plan, the McGowan Government has announced a world-class hospitality and tourism training centre will be built at South Metropolitan TAFE's Mandurah campus.
The $9.17 million centre will replace an ageing home economics-style room to enable training of apprentice chefs in the Peel region. The centre will also focus on engaging local secondary students, young people and the long-term unemployed in vocational education and training.
The centre is set to improve the Peel region's capacity to train job-ready, highly skilled chefs, as well as front of house staff, event coordinators and tourism workers.
Read the full ministerial media statement.

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) had a busy month in, with the 29th 'No Frills' conference held online for the first time between 7 and 10 July, and the release of research and teacher resources.  The conference theme was: Workforce ready: challenges and opportunities for VET.

Apprentices and Trainees:

• Australian VET statistics: Apprentices and trainees 2019 — December quarter is available at NCVER Publications.
• For Information on employment outcomes, reasons for non-completion, and satisfaction with training for apprentices and trainees, view Apprentice and trainee experiences and destinations 2019.

Research:

• A discussion paper exploring the theme ‘Workforce ready: challenges and opportunities for VET’ was released in preparation for the 29th National VET Research Conference ‘No Frills’ .
• The use of RPL in VET is decreasing, according to a new report released by the NCVER.  Exploring the recognition of prior learning in Australian VET.

VET Practitioner Resources:

• NEW PODCAST: Responding to Industry 4.0 - what works.  Digital skills are now essential for most occupations in Australia. So what does this mean for VET courses and, therefore, our VET educators? Join Steve Davis as he talks to Suzi Kuti, Metro Trains Sydney, and NCVER researchers Michelle Circelli and Bridget Wibrow about what teaching digital skills means for VET educators, their integration into VET delivery, and why they should become key foundation skills for all VET students.  LISTEN: VET's response to Industry 4.0 and the digital economy: what works
• Good practice guides Incorporating digital skills into VET delivery and Teaching digital skills: implications for VET educators are available on the NCVER Portal.

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/