Hi Tech Green Jobs and Computer based Skills Training as part of Rudd Plan

Yesterday the Prime Minister, announced "50,000 New Green Jobs and Green Skills Training Places for a Stronger Greener Australian Economy". I suggest that the government expand the scheme for the high technology green jobs which will be needed. This could include Green ICT Jobs and could make use of computer based training using the infrastructure which the government is already putting in place as part of its digital education revolution. As a part of this, the government could fund the Australian Computer Society and the Australian National University to expand the Green ICT courses already provided (GIT and COMP7310), into the vocational education sector, with online courses to make young people work ready. Courses can also be modularised to allow them to be delivered as part of broader education programs.

The Rudd Government today announced 50,000 new green jobs and training opportunities to build a stronger and greener Australian economy.

This $94 million investment in Australia’s future and major reform of Australia’s training system will help support jobs and communities being hit by the local consequence of a severe global recession.

Today’s announcements will ensure that during these tough times up to 50,000 young or disadvantaged Australians get the skills and training they will need for the green jobs of tomorrow.

Reforming Australia’s training system to produce high quality green skills is essential to meet the growing demand for energy efficient homes and buildings, and to power the industries of the future.

The separate elements in today’s green skills announcement are:

· 10,000 member National Green Jobs Corps – long term unemployed youth will take part in 26 weeks of green job training and work experience.

· 30,000 apprentices trained with new Green Skills –tradies will complete their training with practical job ready green skills.

· 4,000 training places for insulation installers – to help long term unemployed or disadvantaged people into the workforce through extra training and short term - stimulus funded - insulation installation jobs.

· 6,000 new local green jobs - 6,000 new jobs contributing to environmental sustainability in priority local economies.

10,000 Member National Green Jobs Corps

The National Green Jobs Corps is a 26-week environmental training program that over two years will enable 10,000 18-24 year-olds gain job-ready skills.

This will provide 10,000 out of work young Australians with the opportunity to gain work experience and green skills for future jobs.

There are currently around 10,000 young Australians between school leaving age and age 24 who have been out of work for more than 12 months.

These young Australians will be able to join the National Green Jobs Corps to meet their participation obligations for Youth Allowance or Newstart.

The National Green Jobs Corps activities would include:

• Bush regeneration and planting native trees
• Wildlife and fish habitat protection
• Walking and nature track construction/restoration; and
• Training and hands on experience in the installation of energy efficiencies for buildings.

The Government’s Compact with Young Australians requires that young people must be earning or learning to receive the support of the Government.

The National Green Jobs Corps will compliment the Compact.

30,000 apprentices trained with new Green Skills

To ensure all young tradies in Australia possess the green skills of the future, the Commonwealth will negotiate a new National Green Skills Agreement.

This Agreement will make practical sustainability training a fundamental part of all vocational training programs.

With the support of industry and State and Territory Governments this Agreement will ensure all our future tradies will possess practical job ready green skills.

The Government expects that every new trade apprentice who commences their training after 1 January 2010 will graduate with a core set of green skills and knowledge as part of their training.

This Agreement will lead to national sustainability standards in vocational training.

It will speed up the re-writing of training packages to include these green skills.

And it will require VET instructors and teachers to build on the skills they already have and acquire new skills to train the apprentices of the future.

Over the next two years 30,000 apprentices in sectors such as building and construction; agriculture and forestry; mining and energy; water; transport; manufacturing and engineering will graduate with competencies in green skills.

The practical green skills involved in this training could include:

· Training electricians in smart heating and cooling technologies

· Training plumbers in water recycling and water efficiency

· Training mechanics in green car engines

The national Agreement will be supported by the Rudd Government’s investment of close to $900 mil in TAFE and vocational education infrastructure in 2009-10 alone.

4,000 training places for Insulation installers

To help long term and disadvantaged unemployed people transition into permanent jobs, 4,000 additional training places will be available to workers installing ceiling insulation, or job seekers wanting an insulation job.

The ceiling insulation program is linked to the Energy Efficient Homes Initiative, which is a key element of the Government’s economic stimulus measures.

The Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Master Builders Association, the Housing Industry Association, the National Employment Services Association and with the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union to link disadvantaged job seekers with Energy Efficient Homes package jobs.

To get unemployed people into these jobs, and also turn these short term jobs into long term careers, 2,000 additional Apprenticeship Access places and 2,000 extra pre-vocational training places in language, literacy and numeracy will be provided for low skilled and disadvantaged workers in the Initiative.

The Government has also asked Job Services Australia providers to identify job seekers who can be part of the home insulation industry and refer them to registered training organisations so they can complete the basic training – paid for by Government – and start work quickly.

6,000 new local green jobs

The Government’s local jobs component of its Jobs Fund will also be used to fund an estimated 6,000 new local jobs contributing to environmental sustainability in priority local economies.

These jobs could include:

• Revegetating bushland

• Constructing a boardwalk over vulnerable wetland

• Retrofitting energy efficient lighting and plumbing

The Jobs Fund has been set up to fund immediate jobs in local communities hardest hit by unemployment caused by the global recession.

SYDNEY

30 JULY 2009
PRESS OFFICE (02) 6277 77 44

Tags:

• Media Release,
• Education, Skills & Training,
• Employment & Industrial Relations,
• Environment & Resource Management

From: 50,000 New Green Jobs and Green Skills Training Places for a Stronger Greener Australian Economy, Media Release, Prime Minister of Australia, 30 July 2009