IBSA - Innovation & Business Skills Australia

Deputy Prime Minister's media release: Productivity Places Delivering Skilled Australians

In less than five months more than 3 200 job seekers have completed training under the Rudd Government's Productivity Places Program.

Since 1 April 2008 the success of the Government's Productivity Places Program has continued unabated.

Today, more than 35 000 job seekers have enrolled in the program and 19 200 people are currently in training.

This program has provided 3 200 job seekers with qualifications in areas employers are telling the Government they desperately need.

There are currently 572 Registered Training Organisations participating in the program delivering 3 402 qualifications from Certificate II to Diploma level.

The Rudd Government has committed $1.9 billion over the next five years to deliver 630,000 training places to meet increasing demand for skilled workers.

This includes up to 238 000 training places for people currently not in the workforce and up to 392 000 training places for existing workers.

The Rudd Government is working cooperatively with State and Territory Governments through the Council of Australian Governments to deliver solutions to the nation's skills shortage.

Today, there are 5 million working age Australians without a qualification at the certificate III level or above.

The Rudd Government is committed to establishing a flexible national training system which meets the needs of industry and students as its central priority.

The Howard Government had no focus on skills and no reform agenda. Its Work Skills Voucher scheme did not work and has been swept away by the Rudd Government.

For more information about the Productivity Places Program visit: www.productivityplaces.deewr.gov.au/home.htm.