WorkReady is about targeting training and employment opportunities to the needs of people, strategic industries and regions.

Skills Investment Plan 2017-18

The Government’s Skills Investment Plan for 2017-18 outlines the directions for public investment in skills and employment initiatives. The Skills Investment Plan is the result of the annual investment planning process, which considers a range of factors, including:

• the Training and Skills Commission’s modelling work
• outcomes of the survey of industry priority qualifications conducted by the Commission
• an assessment of supply of qualifications
• outcomes of the public value assessment of qualifications
• information gathered through stakeholder engagement.

• Skills Investment Plan 2017-18 (PDF)

Skills initiatives

The Government invests in initiatives to support people to obtain national qualifications, national skill sets, skill clusters, non-accredited training and learner support services.

WorkReady initiatives are funded in three major ways;

1. A user-driven approach, where funding goes to the training provider chosen by the student or employer.
2. A project-based approach, where applicants make a submission to deliver agreed training and employment projects
3. A grants-based approach, where identified organisations are funded to provide specialist services that can be more readily tailored to the needs of participants.

Skills initiatives include Subsidised Training List Qualifications and Quotas, Qualification Projects, Jobs First Employment Projects, Employment and Transition Programs and Support Services for Training.

Employment and transition programs

The South Australian Government’s Employment and Transition programs are focussed on assisting people who need additional support to be successful in learning, training and work. These programs are also focussed on providing employers and industry with a work ready and skilled workforce.

A suite of programs invests in the following groups who face challenges in undertaking skill development or entering and remaining in the workforce:

• People who are not in the labour force or marginally attached to the labour force
• Unemployed or underemployed jobseekers
• Workers transitioning to new or different jobs

These programs assist mature age people; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; young people aged 17-24; migrants and refugees from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; people with a disability; retrenched workers; and families experiencing long term joblessness.

Programs address foundation skills; job preparation skills; accredited and non-accredited training; apprenticeships, traineeships and school-based traineeships for Aboriginal people; tailored employment support such as case management and structured mentoring; family case management; and career development services.

Programs include:

Adult Community Education (ACE): funding is provided to community and neighbourhood centres and local councils to deliver foundation skills courses – literacy, numeracy, digital literacy and employability skills – that engage people on a learning pathway, with transitions to vocational education and training and employment.

Building Family Opportunities (BFO): delivered in areas where families experience high levels of joblessness due to economic and social disadvantage, BFO provides practical and professional whole of life case management, that enables families to break the cycle of long term joblessness.

Career Services: delivered in 12 metropolitan and regional locations, qualified career development practitioners assist job seekers and retrenched workers to plan their careers and to access local skills, training and employment opportunities.

Jobs First Employment Projects: funds tailored skills and employment projects that are developed in response to job opportunities identified by employers; and which respond to the unique needs of unemployed and underemployed people through the provision of employment support services that address barriers to employment.

Aboriginal Employment Industry Clusters: 10 employer-led Industry Clusters that prepare and connect Aboriginal job seekers to employment opportunities in their industries; and build the capability of employers to increase and sustain the employment of Aboriginal people in their industries.

Aboriginal Apprenticeship Program: places and mentors Aboriginal people in apprenticeships, traineeships and school-based traineeships in the private sector.

Retrenched Workers Program: provides career services and funding to access training for manufacturing workers exiting a company during times of industry restructuring.

Automotive Workers in Transition: assists automotive supply chain workers to transition to new employment by providing funding to access Career Advice and Transition Services, training, skills recognition and business start-up advice.

Disability Sector Skills and Employment Development (NDIS): a flexible funding approach to developing initiatives with employers, disability services providers and universities, resulting in tailored workforce development solutions for jobseekers, existing workers and employers. Six metropolitan and regional Disability Workforce Hubs will connect jobseekers with local job opportunities and assist employers to access skilled workers.

Tauondi Aboriginal College: funded to assist Aboriginal people with skill development, job preparation, career development services and brokerage into jobs.

Don’t Overlook Mature Expertise (DOME): funded to assist mature age job seekers with employability skills, career development skills and transitions to work.

For more information call the Infoline on 1800 506 266.