The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA has further cemented its reputation as a key training services provider after it was announced as the operator of the new Industry Training Hub in Armadale.
The Armadale Training Hub is one of 10 hubs being trialled across Australia as part of a $50.6 million Federal program to improve opportunities for Year 11 and 12 students in regions with high youth unemployment.
Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business Minister Stuart Robert said today (May 25) that young people faced longer periods of unemployment than other age groups, and in regional areas they were particularly at risk of falling into the trap of long-term welfare dependency.
“We want to get more young Western Australians in to jobs, whether it is through our $2.7 billion investment securing the next generation of Australian apprentices or our $1b JobTrainer fund or indeed through our Industry Training Hubs like this one in Armadale. It is all about assisting young Western Australians to build skills today and get into jobs tomorrow,” he said.
“Importantly, the training hub will help promote the many opportunities in the vocational education and training sector as a first-choice career option that may have been overlooked in the past.”
Each Training Hub is managed by a full-time career facilitator who will help create better links between schools and local industry.
WA Senator Matt O’Sullivan said the career facilitator will encourage students to focus on developing skills for occupations that are most relevant to where they live.
“The career facilitator will engage with local employers who are having difficulty finding people with the right skills they need for their business or organisation and, in turn, advise senior high school students of these skill shortages,” he said.
Five training hubs have already commenced in the Eastern States, with additional hubs to be launched in in Gosford, Grafton, Wanneroo, and Alice Springs.
CCIWA CEO Chris Rodwell said: “It’s great business can partner with government to put young Western Australians on the path to build skills that local industry needs.”
“Jobs are standing vacant in the WA economy, and it’s right that one part of the response is to strengthen the link between training, and the needs of industry,” he added.
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