The Victorian Government has accepted all the recommendations of the Apprenticeship Taskforce report — in full or in principle — to improve safety and mental health support for apprentices and trainees with a $9 million package.
The reforms will provide more support for apprentices and their employers and addresses the key issues highlighted in the report, including safety, harassment, training quality and fairness at work.
Among the first reforms to be implemented will be a pilot of a central helpdesk service, where apprentices and trainees cam go for all types of workplace support. This helpdesk will be run by Apprenticeships Victoria and builds on the success of the Apprenticeship Support Program.
The state government has also given in-principal support to the establishment of a dedicated regulator for apprentices and trainees. The dedicated regulator will work to improve outcomes for Victoria’s 77,000 apprentices and make the system easier to navigate, helping them stay in their chosen fields.
The reforms will also include more support for employers of apprentices, greater inclusion and safety for women apprentices, modernising laws that govern the apprenticeship system, and better collaboration between agencies and the Commonwealth.
The Victorian Government has also announced three new mental health programs for apprentices, including the Apprentice Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which offers free counselling and can be accessed online or by phone without the need for a referral. The Apprenticeship Taskforce is chaired by Sharan Burrow AC, alongside representatives from unions, industry and apprentices.
Apprenticeships Victoria, established in 2021, will oversee the new helpdesk and all mental health initiatives to ensure apprentices and trainees across all industries are getting the support they need.
Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney said the $9 million package will deliver the fair, safe workplace that every apprentice deserves. “We thank the Apprenticeships Taskforce, Sharan Burrow AC and the unions and employers who took part, for their recommendations on how we can continue to make apprenticeships in Victoria safe and fair,” Tierney said.
