The Rudd government announced it would address skills shortages in certain trades by spending up to $661m over the next four years, creating 39,000 training places and 22,500 apprenticeships.

Print industry trades listed on the government’s National Skills Need List include: binder and finisher; screen printer; and printing machinist.

Some $200m will go toward establishing a Critical Skills Investment fund to train job seekers and up-skill existing workers.

Another $80m will go on extending the Apprentice Kickstart program, which is targeted at growing apprenticeships among businesses with fewer than 200 employees.

The extension triples the first-year incentive payment to SMEs that hire an apprentice aged 19 and under for a trade on the Skills Need List. The deadline is 12 November this year.

Under the revamped initiative, employers will receive a bonus of $3,350 on top of the initial $1,500 incentive payment if they engage and retain a trade apprentice.

A further $850 will be added to the commencement incentive payment, with an added $2,250 paid after nine months.

Kickstart, which was first rolled out over the summer of 2009-10, saw 24,400 new apprenticeships offered across Australia.

Simon Cochaud, director of RMIT’s International Centre of Graphic Technology, told ProPrint the funding was “very well-placed”.

“It’s a very good package, given that the printing industry will have a long-term skills shortage,” he said.

“With IBSA research indicating that the average printer is 46 years old, it’s clear that a lot of printing companies have to start their succession planning and recruitment now.”

Cochaud was particularly pleased with the extension of the Kickstart program, and urged more printers to take advantage.

“We’ve seen a little bit of uptake of that initiative, but we hoped we would see more, so hopefully this will provide the drive for a bit more uptake,” he said.

“The printing industry should see benefits from these initiatives, but it’s up to all the stakeholders in the printing training space to take up the opportunities.”

Meanwhile, $243m has been allocated to improve the quality of vocational education by endowing the National Partnership Productivity Places Program.

Printing Industries national manager for policy and government affairs Hagop Tchamkertanian agreed that the boost to apprenticeships and training should yield gains for the industry.

“Even if not too many printing companies directly benefit from the new initiatives they will benefit indirectly if it succeeds in controlling skilled labour costs,” he said.

Australia Industry Group chief executive Heather Ridout also praised the skills initiatives, but cautioned against complacency.

“We are pleased with the measures on skills development and the extension of Kickstart, as they are well directed and well targeted,” she said.

“The overall increase in skills places is important, but much more will need to be done, especially given the rapidly expanding skills gap of some 240,000 workers per year.”

Will you take advantage of the training initiatives? Have you already? Leave your comments below.

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