National Careers Week 2020 – more critical than ever says Minister
National Careers Week 2020 is an opportunity for Australians to consider the benefits of vocational education and training (VET) to launch or future proof their careers and help them come through uncertain times in a stronger position.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said National Careers Week 2020 highlights how important it is to continually develop your career, because you never know what’s around the corner and the more skills you have, the better equipped you will be.
“Skilled workers are essential to ensuring Australia’s economic recovery as COVID-19 restrictions around the country begin to ease,” Minister Cash said.
“Objectives of National Careers Week include highlighting the need for ongoing reskilling and upskilling to support careers throughout life and identifying the changing nature of work and its impact on all Australians. Given the impact of COVID-19, this is more important than ever.”
The COVID-19 health and economic crisis is creating urgent demand for new skills across a broad range of sectors, as well as accelerating demand for entry-level workers in key industries that are struggling to keep up with increased demand.
We are seeing firsthand how skilled Australian are keeping our economy open and expediting our recovery from the pandemic. Healthcare workers and aged care and disability care workers are already so important. Now, many more occupations are just as vital.
“As a result of COVID-19 a lot of training has now moved online, giving people flexibility and opening up more opportunities than ever before, particularly for people living in our regions.”
“The recently updated MySkills website enables prospective students to search over 2,000 online courses of offer from registered training organisations (RTOs).”
Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, the Hon Steve Irons MP, said a VET qualification was the pathway into many rewarding careers.
“As part of our economic response to COVID-19 we are supporting apprentices, trainees and small businesses, offering eligible employers a wage subsidy of 50 per cent of the apprentices or trainee’s wage for up to 9 months from 1 January 2020 to 30 September 2020 — so they can support their apprentices and trainees and keep the benefits of training already undertaken within their business.”
National Careers Week runs from 18–24 May and the many online events, from local, targeted education and employment opportunities, to national webinars can be found at: careersweek.com.au/events-page/
Websites to help plan career and study options include: www.joboutlook.gov.au, www.myskills.gov.au and www.dese.gov.au/covid-19/jobs-hub.
