Howard cuts $60 from NSW apprenticeship training

The Howard Government has cut $60 million worth of traineeship and apprentice training contracts from DETNAC (an arm of Department of Education & Training) and given them to their big business mates.

Existing contracts will cease on June 30. There were contracts covering each of the 12 regions of the state.

DETNAC (DET's New Apprenticeship Centres) have operated for eight years and employers and apprentices both rate the service very highly. It's job is to set up and and oversee arrangements between apprentices, employers and trainers.

PSA and the NSW Minister have both expressed their anger and outrage of this political and ill-advised decision.

Click her for PSA General Secretary John Cahill's media release, and here for Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt's media release

John Cahill has written to Unions NSW asking that the issue be addressed at tonight's general meeting. He said:

"The Howard Government has recently announced that it is stripping the NSW Government's Department of Education of the contracts to provide and run the Apprenticeship Centres in NSW.

DETNAC (the New Apprentice Centres) provides young workers and employers with support in undertaking apprenticeships across New South Wales. It is the largest and most successful provider of these services in Australia. DET would be the only organisation with the appropriate infrastructure to run these services successfully and it also provides 270 jobs across NSW. There is not a lot of information available yet as to the successful tenderer but it would appear that at least some of this work has gone to Australian Business Limited, a lobby group for employers. The PSA is fearful that this is an example of the Howard Government rewarding the employer lobby group for its support of their WorkChoices legislation.

The PSA writes to Unions NSW to seek support for a campaign to protect this service and keep it within the NSW Department of Education and Training.

PSA Assistant General Secretary Steve Turner is also writing to Andrew Cappie-Wood, the NSW Director-General of the Department of Education & Training seeking an urgent meeting to discuss the situation, our options and the 270 jobs under threat.