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WELL Practitioners’ Conference. Kathryn Shugg, Branch Manager, Foundation Skills and Pathways Branch, DEEWR. Economic challenges. Evidence of Foundation Skills Gaps.
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WELL Practitioners’ Conference Kathryn Shugg, Branch Manager, Foundation Skills and Pathways Branch, DEEWR
Evidence of Foundation Skills Gaps • 2007 ALLS survey showed that approximately 48.7 per cent of adult Australians had poor to very poor language, literacy and numeracy skills. • This includes: • 40 per cent of existing workers; and • 60 per cent of job seekers • Around 360,000 young Australians have not obtained at least a Year 12 or Certificate II qualification and are not studying for a qualification.
COAG Targets • National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development • Halve the proportion of Australians aged 20-64 without qualifications at Certificate II and above by 2020. • Double the number of higher qualification completions (diploma and advanced diploma) by 2020 • National Indigenous Reform Agreement (Closing the Gap) • Halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade.
Australian Government Policy Drivers • Drivers: • Jobs agenda • Productivity and skills agenda • Social inclusion • Improved foundation skills • Improved pathways from school to training to • work
Australian Government Commitment • Skills for Sustainable Growth Package • $660 million investment in training, apprenticeships and • adult foundation skills • Key Reforms • Addressing skill shortages • National Training System reforms • Building foundation skills.
Foundation Skills Package • Foundation Skills Package • $119.25 million over four years to improve the job readiness of at least 140,000 Australians with targeted LLN initiatives by: • Strengthening LLNP • Expanding WELL • Expanding the Foundation Skills Taster Course Program; • National Foundation Skills Outreach and Leadership Project • National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults
Workplace English Language and Literacy • WELL places - $15.7m over four years for: • - an additional 9,500 places to 30 June 2014 • - six WELL Brokers located in Industry Skills Councils to promote the program and establish projects • Since July 1 2009, 6000 WELL places over four years have been opened up for pre-employment Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) participants.
Future Directions • National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults • to be developed by the end of 2011 • charting a national course for foundation skills for the next 10 years • opportunity for stakeholder, including WELL providers, to participate in face to face consultations early next year. • Information on WELL can be found at: www.deewr.gov.au/WELL