Engineers Australia congratulates the Victorian State Government on the recent announcement from Minister for Public Transport and Employment Jacinta Allan, on the new Major Project Skills Guarantee and the inclusion of engineering cadets.
During 2015 Engineers Australia’s Victoria Division President, Geoff Hayes, met with relevant State Ministers and advocated for the proposal of 10 per cent of a Major Project’s budget allocated to employing apprentices to be expanded to those studying engineering advanced diplomas and degrees.
The Major Project Skills Guarantee mandates that all publicly funded works contracts with a pre-tender estimated value at or in excess of $20 million (inclusive of GST) will be required to utilise Victorian registered apprentices, Victorian registered trainees or engineering cadets for at least 10% of the contract works’ total estimated labour hours. This will also apply to public-private partnership (PPP) projects valued over the applicability threshold.
Engineers Australia’s Victoria Division General Manager, Glenda Graham, said “I am absolutely delighted that the government has included engineering cadets in the Major Projects Skills Guarantee.
“There has been a drop in the number of engineering students enrolled in engineering advanced diplomas and employment opportunities for engineering graduates in recent years. The future of the engineering pipeline has been significantly improved by this initiative and will ensure our enginering students gain the experience and opportunities they need.
“The Victorian Government has made a commitment to developing the next generation of enginers who will be crucial in building strong and successful cities in our great State," said Ms Graham.
Engineers Australia has a range of resources that can assist employers in recruiting engineering cadets and support the training and development of these student engineers during their involvement in major projects. These resources range from short courses to structured training programs and are delivered live and online. Topics range from professional skills such as project management to maximising the value of experiences in industry (such as work on Major Projects) to develop competence to practice in engineering and to gain international recognition as a Chartered (Stage 2) engineering professional.
Enquiries regarding how Engineers Australia can assist employers in recruiting and supporting engineering cadets should be directed to Dr David Pointing, Engineers Australia’s National Tertiary Manager.
[email protected] | 03 6218 1904
Information about the Major Project Skills Guarantee initiative can be sourced here.