The Tasmanian Government has released the second Skills Strategy Report Card, providing an overview of progress in implementing the Tasmanian Skills Strategy, which was initiated in 2008.

 

The Report Card shows that the target to increase the proportion of 15-64 year olds with Certificate III or above skills or qualifications by 2010 was met and exceeded in 2009 with a figure of 43.8 per cent.

 

The state is also on track in relation to the target of the proportion of 15-64-year-olds enrolled in education and training, identified in the Strategy as 19.5 per cent by 2010 and 21 per cent by 2015. 

 

Skills Tasmania has initiated key programs to implement the state’s Skills Strategy, including:

 

  • the first Business and Education Roundtable in North-West Tasmania, in partnership with the national Business-Higher Education Round Table and the University of Tasmania; and
  • the establishment of an Office for Tertiary Education which, for the first time, will offer a central point for handling State Government operations and play an important role in helping people make a seamless transition from Vocational Education and Training to higher education.

 

Two new initiatives have been launched through the Adult Literacy Action Plan, aimed at addressing Tasmania’s low adult literacy rates – the Employer Pledge Program and the Adult Literacy Community Grants Program.

 

The Employer Pledge program offers literacy support for people in the workplace, while the Adult Literacy Community Grants Program provides funding for Tasmanian community groups and registered training organisations for literacy projects in community settings that lead to a vocational outcome.

 

Funding rounds for both these programs are currently open. More information is at http://www.skills.tas.gov.au/