Awards presented to regional Workskill Australia contest winners

22/11/96

More than 60 State competitors in this year's Workskill Australia contest will take up the challenge to compete in the national finals.

A total of 104 Perth regional Workskill winners were presented with awards by Employment and Training Minister Norman Moore, at a special breakfast ceremony today.

Mr Moore said the awards acknowledged the outstanding skills and dedication exhibited by the competition during the six-month event which was co-ordinated throughout the State by the Western Australian Department of Training.

The bi-annual competition was an excellent initiative which yielded many benefits for competitors, industry and the State's vocational education and training system.

"This challenging contest is a practical response to Australia's need to raise skill standards in the workplace in order to boost the country's proficiency in the international arena," the Minister said.

"The competition has allowed the State's finest young tradespeople to exhibit the range of skills that are achievable through industry and the vocational training sector."

Trainees, apprentices and skilled employers under 25 years put their skills to the test against their peers in numerous regional Workskill competitions across the country.

In WA, seven training providers - six TAFE colleges and one private provider - conducted 33 competition categories.

Participants carried out projects in a wide range of occupational areas from building and construction, automotive, computing and technology, through to hospitality and cooking.

Sixty-six competitors, including 30 from country regions, will now compete in the national finals to be held at various locations in the Eastern States over the next six months.

Winners from these contests could go on to participate in the 34th International Youth Skill Olympics to be held in Switzerland next year.

Mr Moore said since its formation in 1982, about 25,000 Australians had entered Workskill regional competitions in 46 skill categories.

"Workskill aims to bring together all the parties in the vocational training area, young people, TAFE, business and many of the industries that rely on trade, technical or other work-based training," he said.

"Apprenticeships and traineeships continue to be one of the most effective pathways for young people to enter the workforce."

Mr Moore said the new Vocational Education and Training Act which was recently passed through Parliament, would see a more responsible training system driven by the needs of clients and industry.

Quality assurance and continuous improvement were an integral part of these reforms.

"We want the best possible training for our workforce, which is why a program such as Workskill Australia is so important," the Minister said.

He said the success of the competition could not have been achieved without the ongoing support of Workskill sponsors, who numbered more than 150.