Page 13 - MTAA 2019 Federal Election Final _Neat

 The present system is based on incentives for businesses to hire
specific candidates, usually those facing employment barriers. The
automotive industry argues that the system should be broadened
to encourage employers to engage across a much broader
spectrum of candidates. This would improve retention rates and
levels of employment diversity across the industry.

 Incentives should also be structured to encourage employers to
retain and invest in their apprentices, as opposed to one-off
payments for placement.

 The automotive sector is disappointed at the extent of inconsistent
relations and disconnects in some jurisdictions with the TAFE
sector and insists that Government spending must be a long term
balance between public, industry and private providers.

RECOGNITION OF AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AND SURETY IN FUNDING

 The swing of the ‘funding pendulum’ between public and private
providers, often ignoring the unique role of industry training
providers, must stop. Better balance, recognition and surety in
longer term funding will allow long term strategic planning,
program delivery, investment for new technologies and delivery of
improved employment outcomes.

 The industry is calling for a skills framework that genuinely places
industry at the centre of the national vocational education and
training (VET) system. This should include skills advisory council
with the commensurate knowledge, affinity and understanding of
the industry needed to inform the development of VET programs.
 This function has often been outsourced to consultants who have a
superficial understanding of the automotive industry, which
subsequently affects the efficacy and quality of the training
developed and ultimately offered.

 It is essential the TAFE sector actively engages with industry. TAFE
and industry engagement was higher two decades ago, but has
been declining ever since. Industry argues that TAFE institutions
should have key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with
their level of engagement with industry.

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