Mr ELFERINK - 1998-10-13
Over the years much has been said about the apparent skills shortage in the Northern Territory. As members would be aware Vocational and Educational Training plays an integral role in Territorians gaining these skills.
Can the minister inform the House if there has been a change in the numbers of trainees in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question and I think it is timely that we do update the situation. We are certainly currently having discussions with industry groups and identifying the areas of training needs, and we shall continue that community consultation.
I was pleased to see the preliminary figures for June of this year, which showed a total growth over the last 3 years here in the Northern Territory of a very impressive, I think by anyone’s standards, 69%.
The reporting date of 31 August 1994, saw 1381 Territorians in training. At the reporting date for this year, that has increase from 1381 to 2341. A total of 671 trainees, as high as 29% currently in training, have been identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This has risen from only 8.3% back in 1994. The number of males in training has risen from 1060 to 1728. The number of females in training has risen from 321 to 613. Growth over the last year has occurred in all groups except metals and printing. In the building industry, 304 positions were in training at 31 August this year. That was up on 278 positions last year. I might note too, I was informed that apparently there were some comments in the media this week that there were only about a dozen or so apprentice carpenters here in the Northern Territory. I have been advised by the department that we have in fact 73 on the books at the moment, just to clarify that. Electrical trainees are up from 212 to 232. Food from 147 to 200. Metals and mechanical from 512, that is the area we have dropped, to 505, a slight decrease there. Miscellaneous from 884 to 994. The other area we have shown a slight decline is printing which dropped from 25 to 23; and vehicles-- 77 to 83.
Nationally, the Northern Territory trends compare very favourably with all the other states. The Northern Territory’s in training increased 14.4% from last year. Australia-wide, the increase was 10.8%. The highest increase was in Queensland, that was up to 25.5%, whereas in New South Wales there was a decline of 1%.
I have tried to provide the information for an honest debate on these things. They are the official figures as acknowledged nationally, and we will continue to increase in those particular areas that have been identified as priority areas, but I think that honourable members would agree that the trends are encouraging.
Can the minister inform the House if there has been a change in the numbers of trainees in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question and I think it is timely that we do update the situation. We are certainly currently having discussions with industry groups and identifying the areas of training needs, and we shall continue that community consultation.
I was pleased to see the preliminary figures for June of this year, which showed a total growth over the last 3 years here in the Northern Territory of a very impressive, I think by anyone’s standards, 69%.
The reporting date of 31 August 1994, saw 1381 Territorians in training. At the reporting date for this year, that has increase from 1381 to 2341. A total of 671 trainees, as high as 29% currently in training, have been identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This has risen from only 8.3% back in 1994. The number of males in training has risen from 1060 to 1728. The number of females in training has risen from 321 to 613. Growth over the last year has occurred in all groups except metals and printing. In the building industry, 304 positions were in training at 31 August this year. That was up on 278 positions last year. I might note too, I was informed that apparently there were some comments in the media this week that there were only about a dozen or so apprentice carpenters here in the Northern Territory. I have been advised by the department that we have in fact 73 on the books at the moment, just to clarify that. Electrical trainees are up from 212 to 232. Food from 147 to 200. Metals and mechanical from 512, that is the area we have dropped, to 505, a slight decrease there. Miscellaneous from 884 to 994. The other area we have shown a slight decline is printing which dropped from 25 to 23; and vehicles-- 77 to 83.
Nationally, the Northern Territory trends compare very favourably with all the other states. The Northern Territory’s in training increased 14.4% from last year. Australia-wide, the increase was 10.8%. The highest increase was in Queensland, that was up to 25.5%, whereas in New South Wales there was a decline of 1%.
I have tried to provide the information for an honest debate on these things. They are the official figures as acknowledged nationally, and we will continue to increase in those particular areas that have been identified as priority areas, but I think that honourable members would agree that the trends are encouraging.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016