Mr MILLS - 2004-02-19
You have promised our young Territorians trade apprenticeships. That appears to be a very empty promise, when at least 30 young Territorians pursuing apprenticeships in panel beating and spray painting have not been able to secure apprenticeships since mid-2003 because they do not have a teacher. How much longer are you going to make these young Territorians wait for a teacher before they can have their apprenticeships signed off?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question because it is an important question. When we say we are a government committed to training,, that is exactly what we are. I can give the answer: it will be less than three weeks, because three weeks will be the time when they would be due for the next block release.
Notwithstanding the hiccup here, it was Charles Darwin University whoich lost their instructor in this paint and panel area. They advertised a number of times - unsuccessfully. On each occasion, applicants were found to not meet the required criteria for that position. There have been concerns raised with Employment and Training that there is no trainer at CDU for paint and panel.
I give this absolutely unequivocal undertaking: if it comes to having to send these apprentices interstate at the time their block release for the next stage is due, we will do it. We will not interrupt the training of these young apprentices, having had them make a commitment to an apprenticeship. We will do absolutely everything to ensure that their training goes on.
Another option might be, and the Department of Employment, Education and Training is on standby to do whatever it takes, to get a contract trainer in from interstate. But I have a worry. I have a problem here because the Leader of the Opposition will not allow it! He will not allow us to bring in someone from interstate to take a job for which there appears to be no qualified Territorian! Under his policy, these kids would have no training whatsoever, because you are not allowed to bring someone from interstate to fulfill the job. We do not put up with nonsense like that. Our unequivocal undertaking,: these young people go interstate for their training, or a contract trainer, if we can get the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition, will come from interstate, even on a contract basis for a short time, to make sure these young people get the training for which they have put up their hand up.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question because it is an important question. When we say we are a government committed to training,, that is exactly what we are. I can give the answer: it will be less than three weeks, because three weeks will be the time when they would be due for the next block release.
Notwithstanding the hiccup here, it was Charles Darwin University whoich lost their instructor in this paint and panel area. They advertised a number of times - unsuccessfully. On each occasion, applicants were found to not meet the required criteria for that position. There have been concerns raised with Employment and Training that there is no trainer at CDU for paint and panel.
I give this absolutely unequivocal undertaking: if it comes to having to send these apprentices interstate at the time their block release for the next stage is due, we will do it. We will not interrupt the training of these young apprentices, having had them make a commitment to an apprenticeship. We will do absolutely everything to ensure that their training goes on.
Another option might be, and the Department of Employment, Education and Training is on standby to do whatever it takes, to get a contract trainer in from interstate. But I have a worry. I have a problem here because the Leader of the Opposition will not allow it! He will not allow us to bring in someone from interstate to take a job for which there appears to be no qualified Territorian! Under his policy, these kids would have no training whatsoever, because you are not allowed to bring someone from interstate to fulfill the job. We do not put up with nonsense like that. Our unequivocal undertaking,: these young people go interstate for their training, or a contract trainer, if we can get the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition, will come from interstate, even on a contract basis for a short time, to make sure these young people get the training for which they have put up their hand up.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016