“Up Skilling Australians”

The Program was developed specifically to address a significant predicted shortfall in skilled workers within the minerals and energy sectors - 38,000 workers by 2015.

The program is a funding partnership between industry, Federal and State Governments. It was endorsed and launched by the Federal Minister for Skills and Jobs, Senator Chris Evans.

To gain entry to the program, candidates are required to provide evidence showing they have skills aligned with their target trade.

Six trades are being offered at this stage - Electrical Fitter Mechanic, Dual Trade Electrical/Instrumentation, Fabrication Trade - Boiler Maker/Welder/Pipe Fitters, Engineering Diesel Fitter, Mechanical Fitter and Carpentry Formworkers.

Targeted applicants, usually aged between 25 and 45, include:

• people who have partly completed an apprenticeship
• permanent Australian residents with overseas qualifications not yet recognised in Australia
• ex-members of the defence forces with aligned qualifications or skills
• people with other related trade qualifications
• trades assistants for the construction and engineering trades only

The program has two stages:

• Recognition of Prior Learning - an assessment of existing trade skills through a Registered Training Organisation, demonstrating applicants have at least 40% of aligned trade skills.
• Gap training – which is tailored to the individual’s and industry’s requirements. The alternative is a traditional four-year apprenticeship.

Recruitment is from capital cities and selected regional population centres for placement on project sites anywhere in Australia on a fly-in fly-out, or drive-to-the-gate basis. This minimises the need for apprentices and their families to relocate from their existing home base.