General programs and projects

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations provides program funding for Rural Skills Australia's national network of Education and Training Advisers.

Among a range of projects, Rural Skills Australia is creating a downloadable employer resource to assist with recruiting, inducting and retaining rural and related Australian Apprentices. This involves:

• Updating, revising and expanding relevant sections of Rural Skills Australia’s Farm Recruitment CD-Rom (now outdated) and facilitating Australia-wide access to a user-friendly, downloadable employer resource to guide and assist employers to successfully attract, recruit, induct, mentor and train their rural and related Australian Apprentices;
• Improving apprenticeship recruitment practices adopted and utilised by rural employers with a view to assisting them attract, induct, train and mentor their apprentices until they successfully complete their apprenticeships; and
• Assist employers to address their skills needs by utilising available apprenticeship pathways and positively contribute to improving retention and completion rates.

Implementation of an on-line school-based Certificate II Irrigation Apprenticeship across Australia 

• Assist with the implementation an Australian School-based Apprenticeship (ASbA) Certificate II in Irrigation utilising the Rural Skills On-Line facilities and pilot delivery across Australia with members of an Australian national network of franchised irrigation and water services businesses.
• Modify and enhance existing on-line resources of Certificate II in Irrigation units of competence from the current Rural Production Training Package (RTE03) to align to the new AHC Training Package (AHC10).
• Develop on-line resources for additional Certificate II Irrigation units not currently available on RSA’s existing On-Line platform.
• Establish training delivery arrangements with appropriate Registered Training Organisations to facilitate a nationally consistent approach to delivery and assessment.
• Establish links with appropriate Australian Apprenticeships Centres to arrange the registration of ASbA students with relevant State Training Authorities (STA), and the payment of the relevant Australian Government incentives.
• Facilitate a structured trial across Australia and assist selected irrigation businesses with the recruitment of 20 ASbA students across their network of members.

Developing a collaborative approach to stakeholder engagement across Tasmania

• To develop a coordinated approach to increasing the number of apprenticeships and school-based apprenticeships in rural and related industries throughout Tasmania.
• To develop strong, ongoing linkages between Job Services Australia providers, Australia Apprenticeship Centres, Group Training Organisations, RTOs, schools, Polytechnics, and existing and potential employers.