Premier

Helping Geelong Students Get The Skills To Work

30 May 2018

High school students across Geelong will soon be able to finish 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 Geelong High School 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 Geelong students more support to study an apprenticeship or traineeship at school.

The local schools delivering the Head Start initiative alongside Geelong High School are Northern Bay P-12 College, Nelson Park School, Western Heights Secondary College, North Geelong Secondary College, Lara Secondary College, Matthew Flinders Girls’ Secondary College, Bellarine Secondary College, Belmont High School, Grovedale College, Oberon High School and Newcomb Secondary College.

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.

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 Geelong.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Geelong Christine Couzens

“We want all young Victorians who are learning a trade to be qualified and ready to work in areas where there are real job opportunities.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville

“Our apprentices are the backbone of our training system and the future of our workforce so it’s vital we give them all the support we can.”

Quote attributable to Member for Lara John Eren

“This fantastic initiative will give more students in Geelong the support and skills they need to do what they love and get their career started.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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