Education and Training: Ongoing initiatives

Investing In Our Schools Programme

In 2004, the Coalition Government announced almost $1 billion for the Investing in Our Schools Programme to directly assist schools throughout Australia. The Prime Minister announced a further $181 million on 19 February 2007.

Over the five years to 2008-09, $827 million in funding will be injected into state schools throughout Australia to help repair, replace or install new items critical to the school's overall infrastructure needs.

A total of $354 million will be provided over the same period to Catholic and independent schools through the Block Grant Authorities (BGAs).

The focus of the programme has been on delivering projects which improve the infrastructure of schools in accordance with priorities identified by school communities parents, friends, the teaching profession and students associated with the school.

The Investing in Our Schools Programme commenced in 2005 and will continue until the end of 2008.

Projects funded under the Investing in our Schools Programme include $102,664 to the Bundaberg State High School to upgrade library facilities and $148,641 to the Coffs Harbour Public School to build a specialised learning area.

Capital Grants Programme

The Capital Grants programme will provide state and territory governments with an estimated $1.7 billion over four years from 2005 to 2008 (calendar years) to assist them to build, maintain and upgrade state schools throughout Australia. Australian Government funded projects typically include the construction of new schools, additional classrooms, libraries and other vital school facilities to improve educational opportunities for our children.

The Australian Government will provide an estimated total of $508.4 million over four years from 2005-06 to 2008‑09 in capital funding to non-government schools. These funds include an allocation of $17 million from 2005‑06 to 2008-09 to provide capital grants for Catholic and Independent schools in isolated areas and communities in the Northern Territory.

This funding makes a real difference to non–government school communities in remote and isolated regions who face substantially greater costs for capital construction and refurbishment than metropolitan and regional schools.

Projects funded under the Capital Grants Programme include $4.5 million for the Kalbarri District High School in Western Australia to redevelop the secondary block, and $1.1 million for the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School at Thursday Island, Queensland for the refurbishment of the administration area and other associated works.

Country Areas Programme

The Australian Government is providing $115 million from 2005 to 2008 (calendar years) to the Country Areas Programme. The Australian Government recognises that students attending primary and secondary schools in geographically isolated areas often have more limited access to educational opportunities than metropolitan students. Australian Government funds for the Country Areas Programme are provided to state and Northern Territory government and non-government schools.

Funds can be used to support projects which:

enhance the curriculum through excursions and visits, attendance at cultural and sporting events;
assist with the transition to further education, training or work; and
provide access to professional development for teachers.

Extra Funding For Regional Universities

The Australian Government is providing $29.9 million in 2007-08 in regional loading through the Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS) for regional campuses. This supports the provision of higher education at regional campuses which face higher costs as a result of such factors as location, size and history.

Career Advice Australia

Career Advice Australia (formerly known as the Australian Network of Industry Careers Advisers initiative) is an Australian Government initiative supporting young Australians aged 13–19 to make successful transitions through school and from school to further education, training and work. With funding of over $348 million from 2005-06 to 2008-09, CAA provides career information and advice, meaningful work experience and information about opportunities in industries to help young people make informed choices about their futures.

The networks of Regional Industry Career Advisers and National Industry Career Specialists increase access to industry career advice and information and promote vocational education and training opportunities particularly in skills needs areas. The Youth Pathways programme supports young people who are at risk of leaving school before completing Year 12 and the Partnership Outreach Education Model (POEM) programme offers education and training options for those who have already disconnected from school.

Fares Allowance

The Australian Government is providing $1.6 million in 2007-08 for the Fares Allowance programme. The Fares Allowance programme covers the cost of specified travel for eligible tertiary students who need to live away from home to study.

Extension of Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY Payments to new apprentices

The Australian Government continues to extend eligibility for Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY payments to eligible full-time Australian Apprentices. Australian Apprentices are now able to apply for the same payments that are currently available to full-time students. This will assist them in the early years of their Australian Apprenticeship when their wages are generally at their lowest.

National Disability Coordination Officer Programme

From January 2008, the National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Programme will replace the current Regional Disability Liaison Officer (RDLO) Programme and the Disability Liaison Officer (DCO) Programme. It will build on previous achievements of the RDLO programme and the DCO programme in facilitating a smooth transition for people with a disability from school or the general community on to further education. Funding for 2007-08 will be $4.7 million.

Non-Government School Term Hostels Programme

The Non-Government School Term Hostels Programme was an Australian Government initiative that commenced in January 2005. The programme is targeted at not-for-profit, non-government school term hostels that operate principally to accommodate primary and secondary students from rural and remote areas of Australia. Under this four year initiative eligible hostels will attract a grant of $2,500 per eligible student (in 2005 prices, indexed annually) per year. The programme also supports rural communities by providing an affordable alternative to boarding school or distance education for rural and remote families.

Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme

The Australian Government has significantly increased funding under the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme (AIC) since 2005. In 2007-08 the Australian Government will provide an estimated $60 million under the scheme. AIC helps the families of primary, secondary and under 16-year-old tertiary students who are unable to attend an appropriate government school on a daily basis primarily because of geographic isolation. The scheme assists students who have no choice other than to board away from home at a school, hostel or private home.

Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Programme

The Australian Government will provide over $1.8 billion between 2005-2008 calendar years for the Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs (LNSLN) Programme. The LNSLN is the Australian Government’s key targeted programme to provide additional assistance for educationally disadvantaged students, including students from rural areas or who are geographically isolated.

In addition, the Non-government Centres Support element will contribute an estimated $144 million over the same period to improve the educational opportunities and learning outcomes of children with disabilities.

The National Projects element will also provide an estimated $46 million funding from 2005 to 2008 (calendar years) for national projects and initiatives to improve the learning outcomes of educationally disadvantaged students, including improved literacy and numeracy outcomes.

Regional Loading — Extra Funding For Regional Universities

New Commonwealth-supported higher education places

The Australian Government funded 9,100 new Commonwealth-supported higher education places in institutions from 2005. More than 45 per cent of the new places were allocated to regional universities or regional campuses of metropolitan universities.

The Australian Government also introduced 440 new university places in nursing with a focus on aged care in 2005. Regional universities and regional campuses of metropolitan universities received half of these new places.

In the round of new places to commence in 2007, the Australian Government allocated over 1,600 places to regional campuses. This represents over one third of the places available for allocation.

This year, there will be a further allocation of new places to commence in 2008 (around 1,800 places as part of the Our Universities: Backing Australia’s Future package and 500 engineering places as part of the Skills for the Future package). The new places will be targeted to areas of workforce shortage and student demand, particularly in regional and outer-metropolitan areas.

Commonwealth Learning Scholarships

By 2009, in excess of $418 million will have been allocated for around 43,000 scholarships through the Commonwealth Learning Scholarships programme. The programme provides assistance with costs associated with higher education to students from low socio-economic backgrounds, particularly those from rural and regional areas and Indigenous students.

The programme has two components:

Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships (CECS) assist with general education costs, and in 2007 are worth $2,120 per year for up to four years; and
Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships (CAS) assist with accommodation costs for students from rural and regional areas who move to undertake higher education and incur accommodation costs, and in 2007 are worth $4,240 per year for up to four years.

Both scholarships are indexed annually. More than 25,000 CECS are being offered over five years from 2005 and almost 18,000 CAS over the same period.

Australian Technical Colleges

The Australian Government has previously invested $468.4 million to establish 25 Australian Technical Colleges. The announcement in this year’s Budget of three new Colleges brings the total investment to $552 million for the 28 Australian Technical Colleges. The Australian Technical Colleges programme is part of a long-term plan by the Australian Government to build the status and prestige of the trades, address the barriers to trade training in the school system and ensure the nation can better plan and meet the needs of trade industries in the future. A number of the 20 new Colleges currently operational and the remaining five to open this coming year are located in regional Australia.

The Colleges are being established in areas where there are skills needs, a high youth population and a strong industry base and will offer training in metal and engineering, automotive, building and construction, electro‑technology and commercial cookery.

The Colleges offer young people the opportunity to study in an industry-led environment where partnerships with local business and industry ensure curriculum is relevant and meets regional labour market needs. The other advantage of the Colleges is that they enable students to undertake their trade training through an Australian School-based Apprenticeship at Certificate III level whilst also completing their Year 12 Certificate. The teaching of enterprise education, small business and employability skills ensure that students acquire the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a competitive business environment.

National Skills Shortages Strategy

Under the National Skills Shortages Strategy, the Australian Government is funding a number of regional skills pilots to identify and develop practical strategies to address a region's current and future skills needs. In each pilot, the Australian Government will work with regional stakeholders such as industry, education providers and the broader community to:

profile existing and potential industries in a region;
identify common factors and solutions to skills issues;
engage relevant national, state and local industry and training bodies;
identify skills and training needs; and
pilot practical strategies that could be used in other regions.

Pilots are already underway in Townsville, Illawarra and the Hunter. Recently, submissions were called for under this strategy to broaden the number of projects and approaches.

Rural and Regional Skills Shortage Special Commencement Incentive

Under the Rural and Regional Skills Shortage Special Commencement Incentive the Australian Government boosts training in rural and regional Australia by providing a special commencement incentive for rural or regional employers who employ Australian Apprentices in occupations where there are skills shortages.

Group Training

The Australian Government is providing $5 million to Group Training in 2007-08. Group Training is an arrangement whereby an organisation employs apprentices and trainees under an Apprenticeship/Traineeship Training Contract and places them with host employers. The organisation provides for continuity of their employment, additional care and support and manages their training. There are Group Training Organisations located in most regional centres.

Group Training in the Trades Programme

The Group Training in the Trades Programme aims to address current critical skill shortages, including those in regional Australia, in traditional trades through group training arrangements. The Australian Government is providing $45.9 million to assist 11,500 people nationally over four years, from 2005-06 to 2008-09, to undertake a Australian Apprenticeship in the trades, either through a School-Based Australian Apprenticeship or by undertaking pre-vocational training.

Tools for Your Trade Programme

The Australian Government is providing $142.3 million over six years from 2005-06, to assist Australian Apprentices to acquire tools up to $800 in value that are associated with their trade. This initiative applies to eligible Australian Apprentices starting out in skill shortage trades from 1 July 2005. This will help alleviate the financial burden on the Australian Apprentice when they enter an apprenticeship in the identified skill shortage trades.

Support for Mid-Career Apprentices initiative

The Australian Government will provide $306.6 million over the five years from 2006-07 to 2010-11 for the Support for Mid-Career Apprentices initiative. Under this initiative, Australians aged 30 and over who wish to upgrade their skills will attract new financial incentives to support their move to an apprenticeship in a trade in high demand.

The initiative provides financial assistance to the employer to subsidise wage costs or the apprentice to boost their income depending upon the industrial arrangements. The amount payable to either the employer or the Australian Apprentice is $150 per week ($7,800 per annum) in the first year and $100 per week ($5,200 per annum) in the second year.

When fully implemented, the new incentives will be provided to up to 10,000 people per year.

Work Skills Vouchers

The Australian Government is providing $80.5 million in 2007-08 for Work Skills Vouchers. Work Skills Vouchers will provide vouchers worth up to $3,000 to people aged 25 years and over without formal qualifications to undertake year 12 or equivalent or vocational certificate II qualifications. Vouchers can be used at public, private or community training providers. Once fully implemented 30,000 vouchers will be available each year.

Business Skills Vouchers

The Australian Government is providing $1.5 million in 2007-08 for Business Skills Vouchers. Business Skills Vouchers will provide vouchers worth up to $500 to apprentices in traditional trades or newly qualified tradespeople to undertake accredited business skills training. Once fully implemented up to 6,300 vouchers will be available each year.

Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarships

The Australian Government will provide around $106.3 million over the five years 2004-05 to 2008-09 for Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarships. Under this initiative eligible Australian Apprentices employed in small and medium businesses in skills shortages trades may apply for a $500 incentive payment on completion of their first and second years.

Australian Apprenticeships Access Programme

The Australian Government has provided $51.7 million over five years for an extra 5,000 places in the Australian Apprenticeships Access Programme, bringing the total to 9,500 places available annually. Under the programme, which is targeted at industries and regions experiencing skills shortages, participants receive pre-vocational training, support and assistance to obtain and maintain an Australian Apprenticeship. Eligible client groups include the long term unemployed, Indigenous Australians, early school leavers and people aged 45 and over. Priority for the additional places is to be given to job seekers who have successfully participated in the Work for the Dole programme or are receiving intensive support from the Job Network, thus supporting the Australian Government’s aim of moving people from welfare into sustainable employment outcomes.

Rural Australian Apprenticeship Options

The progressive implementation of the Rural Production and Horticulture National Training Packages across Australia has significantly expanded the range of rural production and horticulture Australian Apprenticeship options that are available for primary producers in all sectors, for production and other horticulturists, for gardeners and landscape gardeners, and for nursery operators.

Living Away From Home Allowance

Australian Apprentices may be eligible for Living Away From Home Allowance for the first three years of the Australian Apprenticeship if they have had to move away from the parental or guardian home to commence or remain in an Australian Apprenticeship.

Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programme

The Australian Government will provide around $165.1 million over the three year contract period 2006-07 to 2008-09 for the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programme.

The Programme is designed to help job seekers to improve their language, literacy and numeracy skills. A new initiative for the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programme is complementary training which targets disadvantaged client groups including Indigenous people, people with disabilities, and isolated female clients. Under the programme, face to face services are available from more than 300 sites around Australia and services are also available by distance education.

Targeting Skills Needs in Regions Programme

In response to an agreement at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in February 2006 to address regional skills needs, the Australian Government developed the Targeting Skills Needs in Regions programme in collaboration with the states and territories. The programme will help increase the supply of skilled labour in industries and regions of strategic economic importance.

The Australian Government is funding $2.5 million in 2007-08 under the Targeting Skills Needs in Regions programme. The projects will provide a coordinated response to skills needs, quality training, workforce mobility and training system flexibility and responsiveness in target regions across Australia.

Note: further information on Budget initiatives can be found at www.budget.gov.au