Has your employment been impacted by
COVID-19?
As the economy of Australia takes a downturn, it can be rough to start from scratch, especially if you've been working hard to
build your career from the ground up. With job security up in the air and more companies announcing redundancies and retrenchments of staff,
Australians need further support when it comes to upskilling so that they are better prepared in securing employment.
The Australian Government has recently announced that to support Australians with their professional development and to help them "future-proof" their careers,
Job Trainer, a new government initiative will help
create opportunities for upskilling and retraining as the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
What is JobTrainer?
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The Government will be investing
$1 billion to hundreds of thousands of Australians, where they will get the opportunity to retrain and upskill into sectors with growing employment prospects.
The JobTrainer Initiative was proposed as a way to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic by
creating a more skilled workforce to help improve the Australian economy. JobTrainer will also guarantee support of thousands of apprentice jobs across the country by subsidising their wages, ensuring that apprentices are kept employed and receiving the training needed.
The
JobTrainer program will be providing
up to an additional 340,700 training places to assist
school leavers and job seekers access to
courses that will help them
develop new skills in growing job sectors.
Courses offered through the initiative will be free or of low cost in areas where there is an identified need to upskill. The Federal Government will also be providing
matched contributions of $500 million from state and territory governments. Independent RTOs and public TAFE colleges will be available in delivering this program.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has shared that the purpose of the JobTrainer initiative is to create more employment opportunities for Australians.
He said,
"JobTrainer will ensure more Australians have the chance to reskill or upskill to fill the jobs on the other side of this crisis.”
Morrison has placed a great emphasis on how this initiative aims to rebuild the economy in hopes of strengthening the current workforce. JobTrainer will also support those undertaking apprenticeships where an additional
$1.5 billion is available as a wage incentive.
What are the eligibility requirements for JobTrainer?
It's unclear what eligibility requirements are needed to participate in the program, however, JobTrainer aims to
provide relief and support to school leavers, job seekers or individuals undertaking an apprenticeship.
Having the opportunity to upskill means that Australians get the chance to
improve their employment prospects and keep their career options, especially if their job has been directly impacted by the pandemic.
How will JobTrainer help me?
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Understandably so, many Australians have experienced their fair share of retrenchments and redundancies this year due to COVID-19. With industries like events and hospitality feeling the repercussions of the pandemic the most, it only makes sense to take advantage of upskilling opportunities like JobTrainer to help expand their career opportunities.
This initiative could be of great assistance to those wanting to improve their employment prospects and
secure work in a growing sector without having to worry about the education costs involved.
We anticipate that more information will be released about the JobTrainer initiative in the coming weeks.
Otherwise, if you're ready to kickstart your studies but are in need of some financial assistance, you may be able to access
government funding when undertaking a course with Upskilled. Of course, participants need to meet
eligibility requirements and government funding is subject to availability.
Keep up with the latest industry news
If you're interested in keeping up with the news that is related to the VET sector, be sure to subscribe to our
SkillsTalk blog.
Otherwise, feel free to check out the great range of
online courses Upskilled has on offer in business, community services and IT. With most courses running for a duration of 12 months, this is a great opportunity to upskill in the comfort of your own home. Chat to one of their education consultants by calling
1300 009 924 today.
Jana Angeles
Jana Angeles is the Content Marketing Specialist at Upskilled. She regularly pens insightful articles on SkillsTalk about online education and career development. Outside of work, you can usually find her at her local record store or having brunch at a fancy cafe.