Media Releases

Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall has commended some of Victoria’s most accomplished apprentices, presenting four major awards at the 2013 Master Builders State Apprentice of the Year ceremony.

More than half of Victoria’s 45,000 apprentices are eligible for the awards, which recognise the achievements of apprentices in the building and construction industry.

The State Apprentice of the Year award was presented to Matthew Miller from Tocumwal, an apprentice carpenter who is studying through Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE and is employed by F.A.D. Steel.

Mr Hall also presented the Female Apprentice of the Year award to Christine East from Mooroopna, the Metropolitan Apprentice of the Year award to Blake Jobson from Wyndham Vale and the Regional Apprentice of the Year award to joint winners Matthew Miller and Ryan Wheeler from Maffra.

"I am impressed by the proficiency and level of commitment that our Victorian apprentices display and want to congratulate tonight’s award winners," Mr Hall said.

"The Victorian Coalition Government is continuing to shape the training system to ensure there are sufficient skilled workers to meet demand, and nowhere is this more important than in the building and construction industry."

Mr Hall said the Coalition Government was investing a record $6.1 billion in infrastructure projects over the coming four years, an investment that would have a direct impact on the building and construction industry – and on Victorian apprentices.

"Continued investment in skills is vital because the building and construction industry needs a highly skilled workforce that can deliver on these major projects, and at the same time boost productivity," Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall said that, under the Coalition Government’s Refocusing Vocational Training in Victoria strategy, subsidies for apprenticeship courses had risen by about 20 per cent overall, with the average subsidy per apprentice rising to $3,280 per year.

"Over the next four years, the Coalition Government will invest more than $4.8 billion in training subsidies alone, including new investment of just over $1 billion," Mr Hall said. Mr Hall congratulated the Master Builders Association of Victoria for its strong commitment to improving the skills of its members, including apprentices.

The building and construction industry is the second largest provider of full-time employment in the state, employing more than 250,000 Victorians.

The Victorian Coalition Government has today reached an in-principle agreement with principals, teachers and education support staff in Victorian government schools.

Premier Denis Napthine said that, whilst the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement was still to be ratified, he was pleased that an in-principle agreement had been reached.

"The Coalition Government is committed to driving Victoria’s school system to the top tier. Principals, teachers and support staff in our schools are vital in helping us make this happen," Dr Napthine said.

"I am delighted that, as part of the agreement, we have a commitment to further school reforms that lead to an improvement in the educational opportunities and outcomes for all young Victorians.

"The Coalition Government recognises the invaluable role teachers play in educating our children and we are pleased to negotiate this successful outcome."

The new agreement will provide government school employees with salary increases consistent with Government wages policy.

The offer includes twice-annual salary increases totalling:

• 3.0% in 2013
• 2.75% in 2014
• 2.75% in 2015

There is also a $1,000 sign-on bonus for all government school staff.

"We want to keep our best teachers here in Victoria, and this offer provides for a highly competitive salary structure," Dr Napthine said.

"The agreement provides financial incentives for teachers to perform at a high level, while also giving school principals the flexibility to better manage staff and resources."

 Minister for the Teaching Profession Peter Hall said progression through salary levels would no longer be automatic, with a more rigorous assessment of performance to be undertaken each year. Principals will be able to make appointments purely on merit.

"Over a four-year period, high-performing teachers who qualify for annual salary progression, coupled with the increase offered under Government wages policy, have the potential to earn significant wage increases," Mr Hall said.

"Our teachers will be better paid, parents can expect to see high performing teachers in classrooms and students will benefit from improved teacher quality."

The agreement will also for the first time encompass education support staff in Victorian government schools.

"An umbrella agreement makes sense, as it will enable principals to more effectively administer and consult with their entire workforce as one," Mr Hall said.

Victorians would gain access to an expanded, regionally-focused university under a proposition that Monash University’s Gippsland campus join with the University of Ballarat.

Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall said the proposition would improve the higher education options available in regional areas across the state.

"This proposition would make the expanded university a key provider of higher education in Victoria’s regional areas," Mr Hall said.

The University of Ballarat would add to its existing student cohort of 23,000 and expand both on-campus and distance education offerings.

"Students across the state would benefit, giving them access to a wider range of courses and to support services that are tailored to the needs of regional students." Mr Hall said.

The Gippsland Tertiary Education Plan, produced by an expert panel led by Professor Kwong Lee Dow, found expanded course offerings and greater flexibility in entry requirements at the Churchill university campus would benefit the Gippsland region.

If the proposition, proposed by the universities, is implemented, new courses at the Gippsland campus could include engineering, graphic design and multimedia, human movement and sports science, early childhood, metallurgy and health science.

In the Ballarat and Wimmera regions, new courses could include human resource management, criminal justice and criminology, bioscience, geomechanics, geohydrology and midwifery.

Mr Hall said the proposition offered further reassurance about the future of the university campus in Gippsland and for regional higher education provision in general.

"Monash University has made a significant contribution to the Gippsland region through its university campus over the past 20 years and the University of Ballarat will build on that foundation, bringing its special expertise in regional higher education provision," Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall said much work needed to be done if the proposition was to become a reality by early 2014.

The two universities need to complete their own due diligence processes, including undertaking consultations with staff, students and other stakeholders. Formal approvals from the State and Federal Governments would also be required.

"I see this as an exciting opportunity to improve the delivery of higher education to regional Victorians and I encourage everyone with an interest in the outcome to engage with the process positively to ensure the best outcome." Mr Hall said.

Media contact: Ashley Gardiner 0427 560 438

Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall today announced the membership of the new Industry Skills Consultative Committee, which will help shape the State’s vocational training system.

The 12-member committee, which Mr Hall will co-chair with an industry partner, will provide a direct link between industry and government, offering advice on what is and is not working in the training system toshape sustainable solutions.

The Industry Skills Consultative Committee is a key plank in the Coalition Government’s plan to refocus vocational training in Victoria. Mr Hall said students deserve to graduate with the best and most relevant training to help them find meaningful employment.

"The new Industry Participation Model puts industry in the driving seat and creates more opportunities for industry to lead and influence the vocational training system," Mr Hall said.

"Industry is providing a direct voice to government to ensure that the training delivered by providers and the way it is delivered meets the needs of employers."

"These appointees will provide a sounding board on training initiatives and offer an industry perspective on the responsiveness of the vocational training market," Mr Hall said.

The Industry Skills Consultative Committee will also host an Annual Industry Conference, where all stakeholders in the vocational system share ideas on current and future trends in businesses training needs.

"These high calibre individuals have backgrounds in manufacturing, agriculture, construction, engineering, retail, hospitality, energy, finance, professional services and health," Mr Hall said.

"They have the right balance of expertise and experience to reflect sectors undergoing significant restructuring, experiencing rapid growth or shortages in specialist areas, and covering metro and regional areas. I look forward to meeting with them for the first time in a few weeks."

The Industry Skills Consultative Committee is:

The Victorian Coalition Government has moved to stop further strike action planned by the Australian Education Union (AEU) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) that would disrupt the education of children at government schools and greatly inconvenience families and their workplaces.

Minister responsible for the Teaching Profession Peter Hall said that the AEU had stepped over the mark when it directed its members not to write student reports and to now ban school camps and extra-curricular activities.

"The Coalition Government will no longer tolerate actions like the planned state-wide strike on February 14 that will cause significant disruption to the start of the school year and to the education of Victorian government school students," Mr Hall said.

"Today we are urging the unions to call off their escalated industrial action which puts at risk school camps, excursions, school fetes and sporting activities. In addition, union members have indicated they won’t be undertaking essential parts of the teaching role, such as assessment, reporting and marking."

The Coalition Government has notified the unions that it believes some elements of their current log of claims are illegal.

"We have informed the unions that if they do not cease their threatened industrial action by January 29, it is the Coalition Government’s intention to seek an injunction from the Federal Court, under the Fair Work Act, to prevent such actions," Mr Hall said.

The Coalition Government has invited the unions to meet in the week commencing 28 January to resume discussion towards a resolution of this prolonged dispute.

"All teachers received a 2.75 per cent salary increase last year, putting teachers’ salaries in the range of $56,985 for a graduate teacher to $91,883 for a leading teacher at the top of the salary scale. The AEU is denying its members further increases by now refusing to negotiate," Mr Hall said.

"We are prepared to talk business with the union. If the AEU want more than a 2.5 per cent salary increase for their members, then they need to talk to us about how student learning outcomes can be improved and how teachers can contribute to that improvement."

 Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall said today’s release of tertiary offers shows that vital sections of the economy will have the graduates they need for the future.

 "We are on track to have more skilled professionals entering the agriculture, science and education industries," Mr Hall said.

"These future farmers, teachers, scientists and innovators will play a vital role in strengthening our community and driving our economic prosperity," Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall said around 57,000 Victorians would today receive a VTAC offer online, mostly for university. Some offers are made to study at TAFE or independent tertiary providers, but entry to these courses is usually made directly with the institution.

Offers in agriculture increased 14 per cent since 2012, and by almost five per cent in education. This does not include offers for graduate-entry teaching which also grew by eight per cent and were released earlier this week.

"As a former teacher, I am delighted to see more students pursue a career in education who will no doubt make a big difference in the lives of young people in our schools," Mr Hall said.

Increases in first preferences were experienced by a number of universities, most significantly by the Australian Catholic University (18 per cent), then by Monash University (five per cent).

This year, VTAC received 68,584 domestic applications for university places, an increase of 0.6 per cent on last year. Today, VTAC will make 47,995 offers for university places and 6,763 students have already received early offers. This means 13,826 applicants are yet to receive an offer.

Mr Hall congratulates all students who will receive an offer today, but reminds students that there are many more paths to tertiary study. In 2011, 13 per cent of commencing Victorian students used the vocational education and training (VET) pathway into university.

"There are further rounds of VTAC offers, and there is a huge range of TAFE and VET courses available, which students can access via the new Victorian Skills Gateway website."

 "Students across Victoria are encouraged to log onto the Victorian Skills Gateway website to simply match their location with the course or career they want to pursue."

Electricity concessions are available for all pensioner concession, health care or DVA Gold card holders, Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria, Peter Hall said today.

“Pensioners and eligible concession holders can receive a 17.5 per cent discount on their electricity bill,” Mr Hall said.

The discount is available for a full 12 month period covering cooling as well as heating.

“This discount is helpful at this time of year when we are experiencing extremely hot weather conditions and frequently using air conditioners to help us cope with these hot spells, particularly for the elderly and families with young children,” Mr Hall said.

“This concession was designed to assist Victorians meet the electricity costs associated with trying to keep cool over these warmer months,” he added.

Mr Hall said the Victorian Coalition Government did not have control over electricity prices with the latest rises a direct result of the Federal Government’s carbon tax and network service charges which are independently regulated by the Australian Energy Regulator.

“However we are doing all we can to help Victorians meet their cost of living expenses and this electricity concession sits alongside a number of other available concessions.”

For further information about concessions that may be available to you visit www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/financial-support/concessions contact the Victorian Concessions Line on 1800 658 521.

Media Contact: Renee Switzer 5174 7066

Gippsland is set to become a leader in the delivery of tertiary education if the recommendations of an expert panel are adopted by the state and federal governments.

Among a number of innovative recommendations the Gippsland Tertiary Education Plan, released today in Moe by Higher Education and Skills Minister Peter Hall, has recommended the establishment of a network of technology enabled learning centres throughout the region.

Bairnsdale, Sale, Traralgon, Churchill, Warragul, Leongatha and Wonthaggi are all named in the report as possible sites for the centres. It is proposed the centres be co-located with existing university or TAFE campuses.

Mr Hall said the establishment of technology enabled learning centres had enormous potential to improve opportunities for Gippslanders.

“With state-of-the-art facilities, Gippsland students could be technologically linked to interact with other students on multiple sites all connected to a lecture delivered from Melbourne or Moscow,” Mr Hall said.

The recommendation is just one coming out of a report commissioned by the Minister to examine ways to identify immediate higher education issues within the region.

“Gippsland faces unique challenges, including a combination of low school retention rates, ageing population, distance and isolation and low higher education participation rates,” Mr Hall said.

Commissioning an expert demographic, economic and educational analysis of the region, chaired by Professor Kwong Lee Dow, Mr Hall said the report provided a holistic overview of needs specific to Gippsland and identified ways to meet these challenges to ensure the region and its people continue to thrive into the future.

Mr Hall said the report and its recommendations represented many ‘firsts’, including the first tertiary education plan for a regional area, the establishment of the first regional Tertiary Education Council – comprising of education and training providers – and the first pilot of technology enabled learning centres.

“The two most frequently raised issues in the submission process were the need for greater connections between tertiary education providers and local industry, and employment in Gippsland,” Mr Hall said.

“The education plan looks to address both these issues with a number of long-term strategies.”

The report also addresses key issues such as developing ways to improve tertiary education and training opportunities within the region, increasing skill levels and retention rates and recognising existing issues in the area.

Among the panel’s 10 key recommendations are:

·     establishing a Gippsland Tertiary Education Council to promote collaboration between existing education providers and attract other providers to deliver in areas of skills shortages and course demand;
·     that providers across Gippsland establish a common framework and language for pathways; and
·     that linkages between schools, industry, tertiary education and
training providers and Local Learning and Employment Networks be increased.

Mr Hall said the panel report also identified industries that were projected to grow in Gippsland.

“In order for industries such as agriculture, essential services, forestry, healthcare and tourism to be catered for into the future, it is important we have a coordinated approach that taps into the strengths of the region and prepares local Gippsland people with the skills they need to take
advantage of this growth,” Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall welcomed a recommendation for greater involvement in schools by tertiary education providers.

“I am pleased the report recommends extension programs from tertiary providers into schools to increase the visibility and understanding of tertiary education among students and help boost the wider community aspirations. I encourage all people with a stake in the future of education
in Gippsland to read the report,” Mr Hall said.

“I would also like to thank Professor Kwong Lee Dow and panel members Dr Michele Allan and John Mitchell for bringing their expertise to bear in proposing a comprehensive plan for the Gippsland region”.

Mr Hall said he was confident the report would also play an important role in addressing similar educational needs in other regional areas.

Mr Hall said he would consider the plan in detail and release a response to the report early next year.

The report is available online at www.skills.vic.gov.au

East Gippsland Institute of TAFE in Bairnsdale has a new name to reflect its dynamic role in the region.

Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall today announced Advance TAFE as the new name for East Gippsland TAFE during a visit to the Bairnsdale campus.

“Advance TAFE will continue to build on its proud tradition of educational excellence in the East Gippsland region supporting the vocational and training needs of business, industry and the local community,” Mr Hall said.

“Today’s launch is a milestone for vocational education in Gippsland and comes at an important time for the region with the development of the Gippsland Tertiary Education Plan, which provides for a major expansion of tertiary education and training across the region.”

Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull also praised Advance TAFE for its commitment to innovation and community engagement.

“The review and design process to arrive at the new name and brand has been more than two years in the making and involved extensive consultation with around 1,500 current and past students and business and industry representatives,” Mr Bull said.

“The new corporate design reflects the vision of a dynamic, professional educational organisation focused on growth within and beyond the region.”

Both Mr Hall and Mr Bull paid tribute to the role played by the institute since it was formally established in 1986.

“This region has a rich history of vocational education and training extending over more than 100 years with the former Bairnsdale School of Mines and both the Bairnsdale and Sale technical schools. This wonderful tradition continues today with Advance TAFE,” Mr Hall said.

During his visit Mr Hall also discussed progress on the Gippsland Tertiary Education Plan and a range of other government led initiatives to boost vocational education and training in the region.

The Victorian Coalition Government will make a record investment of around $1.2 billion in vocational training this year, with the figure expected to increase to around $1.3 billion in 2012.