NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam and Shadow Minister for Skills Development and Training Don Page today announced a nine-point plan to fix Labor’s skills shortage and build a stronger economy in NSW. 

“After twelve years of Labor, the NSW economy is on the brink of recession,” Mr Debnam said.

"Completion rates for apprenticeships in NSW are the second lowest in Australia at just 45% - some 12 % below the national average. This is one of the many things in NSW that we need to change.

‘Yesterday’s official figures also confirmed that unemployment remains higher in NSW at 5.0% than Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, and nationally where the rate is 4.5%.

"We need skilled workers to rebuild and strengthen the NSW economy," he said.

"Potential tradespeople are abandoning apprenticeships in favour of other employment, and better opportunities in other states, at a cost to the NSW economy. I want to change this.

The NSW Liberal/Nationals $73 million nine-point plan to address the skills crisis and build a stronger economy includes:

1. A new Apprenticeship Incentive Scheme to deliver an additional $1000 incentive to NSW apprentices to continue their training;

2. The introduction of standard three-year competency-based apprenticeships;

3. Exempting Employers from Workcover Premiums for Apprentices;

4. The permanent extension of vocational education and training opportunities to students in years 9 and 10 in our high schools;

5. An information campaign in high schools to promote skills-based career options;

6. A $2 million package of measures to promote mathematics, science and engineering studies and ongoing employment in the NSW defence industry;

7. A formal bid to host the 2013 WorldSkills ‘Skills Olympics’ in NSW;

8. A closer relationship between TAFE NSW and industry; and,

9. Industry representation on the NSW Skills Council.

Mr Debnam said, "young people in NSW have an important role to play in the Liberal/Nationals economic rescue plan to fix NSW.

“I want to ensure that young people in NSW are encouraged to make a strong and positive contribution to our local economy. I want to see more young apprentices getting their start in NSW, sooner rather than later under Labor.

"I believe a trade qualification is a valuable asset, both for the individual and our local economy.

“Clearly more can and needs to be done to ensure young people are better informed of the potential career options that skills training in NSW provides. And once they make that decision to choose a trade they are provided with enough support."

Mr Page said the failure of the Iemma-Costa Labor government to provide meaningful incentives to both employers and apprentices led to NSW recording the highest number of apprentices and trainees withdrawing from their training in the June 2006 quarter than any other State or Territory.

"A National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) apprenticeships and traineeships report found that in the June 2006 quarter 10,500 apprentices and trainees in NSW cancelled or withdrew from their training, a figure that has been steadily increasing from 7000 in June 2001," Mr Page said.

"In January 2007, NCVER also reported NSW apprenticeship completion rates had dropped to the second worst of any Australian State or Territory, with completion rates falling from 52 per cent between 1998-2002 to 45 per cent from 2002-2005.