Printing Industries CEO Philip Andersen,
said the Minister's announcement and decision to make it at the association's
national office at Auburn, Sydney underscored the impact of the skills shortage
on the printing and graphic communications industry and the association's
efforts to find both short and long term solutions.

Apprentices working in the binding and finishing, printing machining,
screen printing and signwriting sectors head the list of 17 trades that have
been added to the 38 trades previously eligible to access a range of Australian
Government apprenticeship incentives including:

• $2,000
  Apprenticeship Wage Top-Up;
• $1,000
  Apprenticeship Training (FEE) Vouchers;
• $800
  Tool Kit;
• $13,000
  Wage Subsidy for Apprentices over 30 yrs;
• $1,000
  Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarship; and
• $1,000
  Rural and Regional Skills Shortage Employer Incentives.

Andersen said that previously the industry's apprentices had not been
eligible for the incentives.

He said, "Employees in metropolitan and country areas will be eligible
for the incentives backdated to July 1 2007. Combined with direct
assistance to apprentices, our industry members will now be in a far better
position to attract apprentices at a time when the skills and labour shortages
have been making this very difficult.

"Our industry is at the centre of the constantly changing communications
sector and is quite unique in its needs and employment opportunities.
Consequently we have already begun discussions with existing apprentices and
technical training institutions to identify what should be approved for
inclusion in their tool kits which will likely be more technology oriented
rather than you would usually associate with 'tradesperson' tools.

"We welcome and thank the Federal Government for its recognition of the
difficulties faced by employers trying to attract young and not so young
apprentices to an industry rapidly undergoing technology inspired change but
often mistakenly portrayed as being a traditional industry rather than being
technologically innovative. The Minister's actions today are recognition of
this and the need to improve skill sets in the industry."

Andersen said the Minister's announcement comes on top of Printing
Industries' work with the Institute of Trade Skills
Excellence Manufacturing Reference Group into developing a star rating for Registered Training
Organisations and its involvement with the industry skills council to promote
the training package.

"We have a pilot work skills project underway to trial and identify new
training solutions that can meet employers' skill needs and provide new skill
sets for employees. Earlier this year we produced a promotional film Imagine: A
World Without Print? showcasing young people working in the industry.

"We are also preparing a proposal for the Federal Government that will
help to 'bridge the gap' of skilled worker availability and engage people
currently not in the workforce, such as mothers and people with disabilities,"
he said.

In addition to the printing industry based apprenticeships, the government's
announcement also covered Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Butchers, Flat Glass
Trades, Furniture Finishers, Locksmiths, Optical Mechanics, Painters and
Decorators, Picture Framers, Shearers, Tree Surgeons, Vehicle Trimmers and Wood
Machinists.

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