The Queensland Government's new skills strategy will help address skills shortages across the Townsville region according to the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA), the peak body representing independent skills training, higher education, and international education providers.
At a key meeting of skills training sector stakeholders in Townsville yesterday (23 May 2024) the ITECA Chief Executive, Troy Williams, spoke about the importance of the new strategy.
"The 2024-28 Queensland Skills Strategy certainly sets a clear direction to ensure that Townsville, and Queensland more broadly, has the skilled workers it needs now and into the future, while providing a modern, responsive, and accessible training system," Mr Williams said speaking from Townsville.
According to ITECA, the skills strategy's strength is the complementary role it envisages for independent quality Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and public TAFE colleges to the task of skilling, reskilling and upskilling workers across the Townsville region.
"In many sectors critical to the Townsville economy, it's independent training providers that help local businesses access a skilled workforce," Mr Williams said.
Data from the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) shows the critical role of independent RTOs in delivering skills training across the Townsville region.
"The NCVER data shows that across the local region, there are some 36,620 student enrolments with independent RTOs, that's 92.3% of all student enrolments. The official data shows why independent skills training is great for students and great for Townsville," Mr Williams said.
The NCVER data also shows that independent RTOs support 3,065 Indigenous student enrolments across the Townsville region, that's 84.6% of the total Indigenous student enrolments across the region.
"ITECA wants to acknowledge the commitment of the Honourable Lance McCallum MP, the Queensland Minister for Training and Skills Development to ensuring that independent RTOs will play a role in helping students get the quality skills training needed to help them into a job and keep the Townsville economy growing," Mr Williams concluded.
