Helping gisborne students get the skills to work

Students in Gisborne will soon be able to finish high school with an apprenticeship or traineeship, ready for work in high demand and high growth industries thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

Premier Daniel Andrews today joined Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas at Gisborne Secondary College, to announce the Labor Government’s new $50 million Head Start Apprenticeships and Traineeships initiative would launch at this school next year.

Gisborne Secondary College has a strong record of supporting students through vocational education and thanks to this new program will be able to do even more to give students the skills they need, for the job they want.

The school currently has 187 students enrolled in VET and school based apprenticeships and traineeships across a range of subjects including building and construction, business, electrotechnology, engineering, screen and media as well as beauty services.

Students will have the option of doing an extra year of school as part of the initiative, so they can finish their VCAL or VCE while spending more time doing important and paid on-the-job training.

Gisborne Secondary will also get additional support and funding to help run Head Start, including a school-based coordinator to provide employment and vocational pathway advice and one-on-one support to students.

Thanks to the Labor Government, Head Start will deliver up to 1,700 new apprenticeships and traineeships at 100 secondary schools across Victoria from next year – giving local students more support to study an apprenticeship or traineeship at school.

The Victorian Budget 2018/19 provided $50 million to deliver Head Start, alongside $109 million to overhaul secondary school career education and $26 million to enhance vocational education in schools.

Head Start will provide apprenticeships targeted at priority industries and traditional trades like construction, defence and health, with enterprise apprenticeships and traineeships to be developed that target high technology areas needed for the jobs of tomorrow like coding.

The Labor Government’s Education State is making sure all students are supported to get a great education, stay in school and learn the skills they need for the future.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
"We’re giving Victorian students the chance to get an apprenticeship or traineeship at school so they can finish qualified and ready to work – this is about investing in our state’s future and the people needed to deliver it."

"Whether it’s delivering the very best vocational education in Gisborne or upgrading schools right across the Macedon Ranges, we’re giving hard working families the schools they need, close to home."

Quote attributable to Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas
"Gisborne Secondary is a great local school and thanks to Head Start, even more local kids will be able to get the skills they need for the job they want. This is in stark contrast to the Liberals who smashed vocational training."