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Respiratory Protection
Apprenticeship numbers up
Friday, 03 March, 2006
Figures show that the number of people commencing new apprenticeships has grown five per cent to 267,600 in the 12 months to September 2005. The figures, released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) also showed increases in the number of new apprentices starting their qualifications in the trades and related work occupations.
The number of new apprentices in training was unchanged from the June 2005 quarter, following the revising up of the previous quarter's figures, with 397,800 in training as at 30 September 2005.
There was also a five per cent increase in completions, with 139,600 people completing a new apprenticeship in the 12 months to September 2005, compared with 133,400 in the same period in 2004.
Mature-aged workers (45 and over) showed the highest percentage growth in commencements with a 13 per cent increase, up to 32,100 in the past year.
For more information on new apprenticeships, go to www.newapprenticeships.gov.au.
Govt uses visa scheme to cut conditions - Smith
Monday, 27 February, 2006
Content provided to you by AAP.
CANBERRA, Feb 27 AAP - The government is using a new unskilled migrant visa to erode the working conditions of Australians, Labor says.
Labor will move today to have the visa scrapped. The scheme is still before parliament.
The federal government has introduced the scheme - which is similar to the system under which foreign students pay full fees to universities - to try to boost regional training programs and provide more workers for trade occupations experiencing shortages.
Opposition industrial relations spokesman Stephen Smith said the government would use the scheme to undercut working conditions by bringing in cheap overseas labour.
"Labor believes this is simply a backdoor device to stop young Australians being trained and to undercut the wages and conditions of Australian trainees, Australian apprentices and Australian workers," he told reporters.
"(This will) allow unskilled people to come from overseas to take the place of Australian apprentices."
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