With the traditional recruiting period upon us, the Illawarra Business Chamber’s Industry Apprenticeship Project is encouraging local employers to re-engage the employment of apprentices, particularly in traditional trade areas.

“With skills shortages continuing to be a major issue impacting on many local businesses, the Illawarra Industry Apprenticeship Project seeks to address what is clearly a mismatch between the skills of the regions unemployed and those required by employers in the across the region,” said Illawarra Business Chamber CEO, Mark Grimson.

“From a Small Business perspective the Project offers local employers with a unique One-Stop-Shop approach.

The Project Officer is able to step the employer through the process of employing an apprentice, provide an outline of the incentives available, save them considerable time and effort by connect them with a potential candidate who have in turn actually completed the relevant pre-apprenticeship course.

In addition, if required we can put the employer in touch with a local Apprenticeship Centre or group training company should decide to proceed.

“Concurrently, the Project provides those looking for an apprenticeship, who may currently be unemployed, at risk of disengaging from school or simply looking to retrain with the necessary skills to improve their overall job readiness and provide a pathway into an Australian Apprenticeship,” he said.

Students who chose to participate in the project undertake a pre-apprenticeship course at TAFE and our Project Officer, Skye Verdun, then works to promote the course graduates to local employers, whilst also working closely with TAFE teachers, Job Network Providers, Group Training Companies and Australian Apprenticeship Centres.

Currently the Project has over 55 young people who completed a pre-apprenticeship course in the trade areas of Engineering, Refrigeration/Air Conditioning, Panel Beating, Painting & Decorating, Electrotechnology and Automotive at the end of last year who are now looking for work.

To date the Apprenticeship Project has be successful with over 300 young people being assisted in finding apprenticeships with local employers.

The Illawarra Industry Apprenticeship Project is funded by the Federal Government and is also supported by the NSW State Government and TAFE Illawarra.

Employers wishing to find out more about the Industry Apprenticeship Project should contact Skye Verdun at the IBC on 4229 4722 or 0448 097788.