A new taxpayer-funded ad campaign to attract international students to South Australia is a welcomed backflip, but the extra funding won't work while domestic policies cripple training providers. “On the one hand Treasurer Koutsantonis says he wants to boost the number of international students in South Australia, while on the other hand his Government has…
DetailsAssistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, has welcomed today’s announcement of a new, simplified international student visa framework (SSVF) to support Australia’s international education sector. “The decision to simplify the international student visa framework is good news for our economy, our local communities and jobs and the vocational education and training (VET)…
DetailsSA needs a strong and stable training sector if we are to build the sort of skilled workforce which is capable of tackling challenges and opportunities as they arise in years to come. When public and private training providers are allowed to compete on a level playing field, students have real choice in deciding which institution suits their needs best, based on quality,speciality and…
DetailsThe newly established Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) will hold their inaugural meeting in Melbourne today. Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, will attend today’s meeting and said the Committee is to play a vital role in the Australian Government’s new vocational education and training (VET) model. “This meeting is an…
DetailsThe Government is investing around $6 billion this year to support people undertaking vocational education and training (VET), including more than 300,000 apprentices. Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, said Ms Bird and her Labor colleagues had got it wrong accusing the Abbott Government of squibbing young apprentices. “At the same time…
DetailsI returned home from Canberra today to do what Jay Weatherill has failed to do – listen to students, employers and training providers about South Australian Labor’s flawed new training model, WorkReady. This model has been universally criticised as stripping students and employers of effective choice in accessing high quality, value for money training. Sectors…
DetailsAssistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, today met with the Indian Government Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, to discuss skills priorities for both countries. “Today’s meeting has helped build our bilateral skills relationship with India so we can seize emerging opportunities in both our countries,” Senator Birmingham…
DetailsData released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) underscores the importance of the Australian Government’s significant reforms to support for apprentices and their employers. The Apprentices and trainees 2014 December quarter report shows that the decline in the number of people in training that started under Labor in 2012, has continued,…
DetailsLabor’s new skills and employment policy, WorkReady, appears to reduce the opportunity for both students and employers to choose the provider they wish to use whilst still attracting a subsidy for training. Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, said students and employers should be empowered and supported to access the most relevant,…
DetailsThree Global Skills Training Forums will continue to ensure Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) system has every opportunity to contribute to the National Strategy for International Education. Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, was in Melbourne today for the first of three Global Skills Training Forums. Senator Birmingham said Australia is…
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