Senator Chris Evans and representatives of the National Association of Australian Apprenticeships Centres (NAAAC) met with 14 Australian Apprentices on 29 March in Canberra.
These high-performing Australian Apprentices represented a cross-section of industries from around Australia—some previous recipients of the prestigious Minister’s Awards for Excellence or Australian Training Awards.
The apprentices had the opportunity to discuss their experiences of the Australian Apprenticeship system, the recent report A shared responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st Century, and workshopped ideas on how to make improvements.
They provided first-hand knowledge on a range of issues, including the challenges apprentices face and support they receive, the benefits of an Australian Apprenticeship to workers and employers and initiatives to raise the profile of apprenticeships and traineeships with employers and the community.
Later in the day, the Senator joined the Australian Apprentices to be included in discussions. When thanking the apprentices for their time, Senator Evans said, ‘We are determined to keep Australian Apprenticeships relevant to the needs of people like yourselves and to employers'.
Senator Evans also confirmed the Australian Government’s commitment to skilling the workforce to ensure that Australia remains internationally competitive.
‘Countries that skill their workers and encourage a culture of continuous skilling through on-the-job training are the nations that prosper,’ he said.