Aussie ICT apprentices start work
The federal government's pilot ICT apprentice scheme has exceeded its target of 40-60 recruits, inducting some 75 new staff at a ceremony in Canberra today.
The initiative -- aimed at tackling the shortage of ICT skills -- was announced by Special Minister of State Gary Nairn last September.
30 of the recruits will begin working at welfare agency Centrelink tomorrow, with 19 to head for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and eight to the Australian Tax Office. A total of 10 federal agencies are taking at least one apprentice.
"After they started doing the interviews and discovered the talents of the candidates, more departments became interested," said Charles Dalgleish, managing director of the Health Industry Group Training Company which has been contracted to implement the scheme.
Dalgleish said there was no lack of interest amongst young people in an IT career, but employers have resisted hiring people with little or no training. "They tend to want to get someone who has done something before they come to work for them; they are not prepared to put in that extra bit of work in training them," he said.
"The kids that we interviewed were very keen. Certainly a lot of school leavers are interested, but they find it very difficult to get placements."
Managed by the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO), the ICT apprentice scheme was designed to overcome a perceived lack of interest in an IT career amongst school leavers and other young workers. Around 400 inquiries and 200 written applications were received.
Today, Nairn said the numbers were encouraging. "Back four to five years ago, IT wasn't that cool because of the dot com crash, and people thought there were no jobs," the minister said. "That has changed dramatically and clearly the response to this has shown that people are coming back and seeing it as a career."
Combo package
Part of the attraction for candidates was the opportunity to mix
study with stable employment.
Justin Hunter, 20, of Canberra, completed the Higher School Certificate (HSC) in 2004 and studied 3D animation while working in the retail sector. He wanted a career in IT, but employers required qualifications he didn't have.
"Uni wasn't a step for me because I would lose a lot of money, so going to a job where I can get money and learn was a good opportunity," Justin said.
The apprentices will be employed for a two-year period, spending four days a week working in agencies and one day studying at the Canberra Institute of Technology. The training curriculum, provided by the Sydney Institute of TAFE, will earn successful graduates Certificate IV qualifications in IT.
Thirty-four have been recruited from outside the ACT, 34 are aged 21 or over, and they will be earning starting wages up to AU$35,000 depending on age and qualifications.
Mr Nairn said the scheme will be assessed on an ongoing basis but did not rule out a similar effort next year.
"This pilot program will provide us with an opportunity to assess the strengths of the scheme and provide us with valuable information on what's needed to build increasing enthusiasm amongst those keen to enter the ICT industry," he said.
"I'm sure that a number of people will be poached by the private sector because they know they have a good qualification and on the job training. At the end of two years they will become very employable people."