The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) latest report shows that apprentice and trainee commencements increased to 85,470 in the March quarter 2022, the highest number for a quarter since 2012.  
The industry sectors with the largest absolute increases in commencements were Accommodation (51.0%), Manufacturing (37.7%), and Administrative and Support Services (21.7%) compared to March quarter 2021. 
Unfortunately cancellations and withdrawals increased during the quarter (up 28.2% from March quarter 2021).
Western Australia has 45 940 apprentice and trainees in training (up 25.4% from 31 March 2021). Read the full report here.

The state government has announced a $3.9 million package to fund tourism and hospitality workforce initiatives over the next two years.

The funding will support a series of job-ready skills training courses with StudyPerth for international students and initiatives targeting working holiday makers to leverage the returning pool of workers in these markets.

Tourism and hospitality will be promoted as a rewarding career through activity such as the Chef Ambassador in-school hospitality demonstration program delivered by Hospitality Group Training, and an annual program of in-school tourism career information sessions will also support longer-term initiatives aimed at encouraging young people to consider careers in tourism and hospitality and creating a sustainable pipeline of local skilled workers.
Read the media release here

In addition, a new hospitality and tourism recruitment campaign, called Discover the Other Side, will launch in coming weeks. The campaign will aim to help attract hospitality and tourism workers from interstate and New Zealand to work and live in WA.
More information about: Discover the Other Side

The formal ‘Industry Summary’ document has been guided by the sector’s Industry Reference Committee, comprising stakeholders from various industry organisations such as Restaurant Catering Australia, the Caravan Industry Association, AHA, training bodies, tourism groups and the Australian Travel Careers Council.

The draft summary gives an overview of the interconnected nature of travel, tourism and hospitality, as well as the crippling effect of COVID-19 and the expected industry recovery supported by the Government’s THRIVE 2030 strategy targeting $230 billion in visitor spending.

All the relevant qualifications have been reviewed and the only new proposed qualification is a Certificate IV in Travel qualification to be reviewed 2023-24 .

​To download a copy of the draft Tourism, Travel and Hospitality IRC Industry Summary, please Click Here

To provide feedback on the document: Click Here  (closes 5.00pm, Friday 29 July 2022)

Training Package Products including qualifications, skill sets and units of competency for the Events, Travel, Tourism and Hospitality sectors, Cookery and Kitchen Operations and the Responsible Service of Alcohol have been updated in order to meet the current and future needs of industry.

The updated Training Package SIT - Tourism, Travel and Hospitality Training Package (Release 2.0) has been published on the national register and can be accessed here.

Apprentices
Apprentices in high-demand industries (including Chefs) will get up to $5000 in cash payments for the first two years of their training but wage subsidies will be scaled back for employers.
The renamed Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Scheme has been re targeted so that apprentices, as well as employers, receive financial incentives.
Under the scheme, from July 1 employers in “priority occupations” will receive 10 per cent wage subsidy for first and second-year apprentices and 5 per cent for third years. The subsidy caps out at $15,000. Employers in regional areas will receive an additional 5 per cent wage subsidy for each of the three years of an apprentice’s training.
In a measure aimed at tackling dropout rates among young tradies, those aged between 15 and 20 will receive a follow-up call within three months of starting their apprenticeships to iron out any early issues and the government will fund 2500 more in-training support places.
Tourism Research
The Budget allocates $2 million for a new “visitor economy online employment and skills platform” as well as $4.8 million for Tourism Research Australia “to capture and analyse more tourism and visitor data to help businesses operating in the visitor economy make improved business decisions,”
Working Holiday makers
To help address skills shortages, the current caps on Working Holiday Makers will have a one off 30% increase in 2022/23.
Training
With the aim of encouraging small businesses to train new staff and upskill existing employees, small businesses that invest in training new employees will receive a $120 tax deduction for every $100 spent on training employees.
Read the budget papers here

​Draft 2 of the SIT Tourism Travel and Hospitality Training Package are now available for stakeholder review. The draft can be found on the Skills IQ website:
https://www.skillsiq.com.au/FeedbackForum/TrainingPackages1/SITTourismTravelandHospitality/SITTPDDraft2
It is possible to make comments directly on the SkillsIQ website, however it would be appreciated if you could copy the FutureNow Industry Development Manager for the Tourism, Travel, Hospitality and Events industries, Melissa Harkins, at mharkins@futurenow.org.au or on 0497 799 990 in on your feedback. She will pass this feedback onto the DTWD (Department of Training and Workforce Development) so they can ensure the SSO (Skills Service Organisation – SkillsIQ) and the IRC (Industry Reference Committee) consider the issues identified from WA industry stakeholders.
SkillsIQ are hosting 2 more webinars to seek stakeholder input. To register your interest in attending a webinar, please click on one of the links below.
                     Date                                                  Time (AEDT)
Webinar 3: Monday, 22 November 2021         3.00pm-4.30pm
Webinar 4: Wednesday, 24 November 2021   09.30am-11.00am
 
Please forward your feedback by COB next Thursday 25th November.

There has been a significant shift in the behaviour of young people over the past decade, according to the latest report from NCVER’s Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). LSAY charts the lives of a group of young Australians as they leave school, enter further study or the workforce and make the transition into adulthood. It compares the results of the group that commenced the study in 2009, who were age 25 in 2019, with the 1998 cohort who were age 25 in 2009.

The proportion of 25-year-olds who completed a university qualification increased from 41% to 52% over the decade, while those with a VET qualification fell from 55% to 46%. Those in apprenticeships and traineeships slipped from 25% to 17%.

The report also shows young people are finding it harder to secure full-time work and completing their post-school study at a later age and, as a result, working while studying for longer periods.
 
Unemployment and underemployment are exacerbated by a lack of work experience and a lack of qualifications that match job opportunities.
 
See the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth: Life at 25: then & now

The National Careers Institute has launched the ‘Your Career’ website, a one-stop site for career information.
The site makes it easy for people looking for their first job, a change in career or looking to return to the workforce to find information about careers. It contains a wide range of information to help with planning and managing a person’s career, including training, further education or current work options. There are quizzes that match potential jobs to a person’s profile, tips on successful job search including resumé writing, links to support services, and a comprehensive list of occupations with detailed career descriptions, pay and outlook.
For more information, please visit the National Careers Institute website.

The McGowan Government has announced funding for the construction of new state-of-the-art training facilities at North Regional TAFE's Broome and Kununurra campuses.
As part of the Rebuilding our TAFEs plan, $10 million has been allocated for a hospitality training centre in Broome, and $6 million has been allocated for a health and hospitality trade training centre at the Kununurra campus.
The new centre in Broome will provide students with a contemporary training environment and will be home to a new live works training restaurant and alfresco café. The centre will ensure students are job-ready and equipped to take up local employment opportunities in the hospitality and tourism industry as well as in the wider region such as catering in mine sites.
Live training restaurants add vibrancy to local communities and foster better industry partnerships while delivering industry-standard training.
The upgrades at North Regional TAFE's are part of the $167.4 million investment in capital works projects.
Read the full ministerial media statement.