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Helping Surf Coast Students Get The Skills To Work

30 May 2018

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

Minister for Education James Merlino today visited Surf Coast Secondary College in Torquay to announce the Government’s new Head Start Apprenticeships and Traineeships initiative would launch there next year.

Head Start will deliver up to 1,700 new apprenticeships and traineeships at 100 secondary schools across Victoria – giving Surf Coast students more support to study an apprenticeship or traineeship at school.

Surf Coast Secondary College will work with nearby schools in Geelong to deliver the local Head Start initiative cluster.

Students can now finish their VCAL or VCE while spending more time doing important and paid on-the-job training.

Schools will get additional support and funding to help run Head Start. This includes a school-based Head Start coordinator to help deliver the initiative, providing employment and vocational pathway advice and one-on-one support to students.

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 Victorian 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 Minister for Education James Merlino

“Every child, in every community deserves attention and support to succeed at school and beyond – which is exactly what we are delivering in the Surf Coast.”

“Our record investment in education is making sure every student is supported to develop the skills they need to succeed in their chosen career and in life.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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