Boosting attraction & retention

“The economy needs skilled workers now and the apprenticeships system must be flexible enough to deliver,”
Senator the Hon Christopher Evans, Minister for Tertiary Education,
Skills, Jobs & Workplace Relations

Skills Australia predict that we will need an additional 2.4 million people in the workforce with qualifications at Certificate III or higher by 2015. In a rapidly evolving economy, the Australian Apprenticeships system is an important pathway to addressing current and future skills shortages.

However, in responding to the immediate pressures of the economy and preparing for longer term opportunities, the sector is faced with significant challenge. Practitioners are currently tasked with improving the effectiveness of pathways, progression models and methods of delivery. Such factors have a marked impact on attraction and retention rates.

In the context of the federal government’s response to A Shared Responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st Century, this conference will provide insight on the future direction of sector reform.

This conference will address:

• How to strengthen school linkages and other pathways
• Methods for accurately measuring practical demonstration of skills via effective assessment models
• Building a quality accreditation system by overcoming system fragmentation
• Strategies for designing flexible and robust course structure