The ACT Government will continue to support Canberra's vocational education and training (VET) sector with new measures announced today to help keep students engaged and respond to current and future workforce needs.
An additional 2405 Skilled Capital places will be released in coming weeks across 60 qualifications and 39 skills sets to provide more training options for Canberrans and tackle workforce demand and supply issues. The Government will support training in key areas emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic including health care and aging support, tourism, retail and hospitality, and qualifications in community services.
Minister for Tertiary Education Chris Steel said keeping the VET sector engaged was critical to ensure Canberra's workforce is well-placed to meet the needs of industry and the ACT economy into the future.
"The VET sector, like many others, is vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is critical that we continue to support the sector to ensure industry and students' needs are met and to help our economy recover," Minister Steel said.
"The new Skilled Capital places, to be announced soon, will help address workforce needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. We consulted with the sector to ensure training is targeted to meet the needs of Canberrans and provide pathways to further education, training and employment."
The ACT Government is supporting the VET sector through the COVID-19 pandemic in a range of other ways, including:
- Increasing subsidies for apprentices, trainees and other VET students to access nationally recognised training in areas linked to skills needs across a range of industries.
- Giving registered training organisations access to a 50 percent unit payment where a student has commenced a unit of competency but is unable to finalise assessment due to workplace access and social distancing measures.
- Training providers who are small to medium businesses may also access other ACT Government support initiatives as they adjust to social distancing requirements and an expected downturn in the local economy.
The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) will also offer students, who cannot study their course online, the option to defer their studies in term two or study alternate units that can be delivered remotely. CIT commenced term 2 as scheduled on 28 April with teachers engaging with all existing students prior to the term commencing to ensure they are in the best position to continue their learning.
CIT campuses will also receive infrastructure and maintenance works as part of the ACT Government's fast-track program which is helping local construction businesses keep more Canberrans employed, while renewing local infrastructure across the city.
Infrastructure and maintenance projects include repairs to the Fyshwick CIT car park and upgrades to the CIT Bruce campus, including:
- painting corridors and classrooms;
- upgrades to toilet facilities;
- carpet replacement;
- ceiling repairs and installing new ceiling tiles;
- replacing underground sewage pipes;
- installing safety showers and eye wash stations in science laboratories;
- replacing fluorescent light fitting with LEDs throughout the campus; and
- upgrading switchboards.
"The fast-tracked projects for CIT will help keep local businesses going through the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as providing improved facilities for our CIT students such as repairs to the Fyshwick CIT carpark and upgrades to the CIT Bruce campus," Minister Steel said.
To view a list of fast-tracked infrastructure and maintenance projects please visit www.act.gov.au/fasttrack.
CIT is ready to support any student, who due to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic needs access to CIT's fee assistance measures.
