Minister Allan launched the Government's Skills Store initiative, and announced the opening of the first five Skills Stores on Tuesday 17 July.
The event was held at Tenix Defence Pty Ltd in Williamstown.
The first five Skills Stores will service the regions of Eastern Melbourne, North Western Melbourne, South Eastern Melbourne, Goulburn Ovens and Central Gippsland. In 2008, Skills Stores will open in eight other regions: Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Central Melbourne, Wodonga, Sunraysia, East Gippsland and South Western Victoria.
The Minister announced that four will open six months earlier than planned, to meet demand.
Skills Stores provide free professional advice and information to members of the public about vocational education and training from easily accessible locations, such as shopping centres, and/or through mobile services. Their target audiences are mature-age workers re-training or re entering the workforce, adults seeking Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to gain qualifications without repeating training in skills and knowledge already gained, and young people seeking advice on employment or career improvement opportunities.
Skills Stores provide an initial assessment of clients' existing skills and skill needs, followed by a personalised referral to a training organisation for RPL which may give credit towards a qualification. The Government provides a grant of $250.00 for clients towards the cost of assessment.
Minister Allan presented the first grant to Craig Metcalf, a client of the South Eastern Melbourne Skills Store LINK Employment & Training. Craig will be assessed against the Diploma of Frontline Management by Chisholm. His employer, Pryda Solutions in Dandenong, is very supportive of the initiative as a means of workforce skill development.
Fore more information on Skills Stores go to: http://www.otte.vic.gov.au/skillsstores
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