AGY-4108 | Employment and Training Division [Department of Industrial Relations]

Full description

The Division was created from an expansion of the role of the former Employment Division. The new Division was responsible for the administration of employment and Training policy in New South Wales. It assisted people in the workforce to acquire skills identified to equip them for labour market demands. The Division administered
Australian Traineeships System that provided training for young people in non-trade employment and Vocational services including counselling, training and employment assistance to help both unemployed and people to meet their career potential.
Start to Life program (1) The Division was also responsible for apprenticeship in conjunction with industry, trade unions, the Department of Technical and Further Education and the federal government. Precisely the Division
Promoted training by apprenticeship training in NSW;
Maintained a register of apprentices;
Monitored the quality of apprentice training; Issued certificates on the successful completion of apprenticeships;
Provided assistance to employers who took on apprentices including assisting regions or groups of employers to establish apprenticeship schemes; and
Facilitated consultation on apprenticeship matters. (2) The other main function of the Division was the management of employment programs that aimed to generate additional employment in New South Wales and improve the employment prospects of the unemployed. This task included making grants in the form of subsidies to public private or community sector employers who created suitable employment opportunities that usually involved both workplace experience and off the job training. These funds were distributed amongst the most disadvantaged sectors of the labour market and those less likely to benefit from a general improvement in economic conditions. These sectors included long term unemployed, Aboriginal people, people form non-English-peaking background, women seeking employment in trade and other technical jobs and inexperience young people. (3) The Division was reorganised on or about 24 July 1990 to become the Office of Vocational Training and Employment, a branch of the Department of Further Education, Training and Employment (4) Endnotes:
(1) NSW Government Directory 1989 p. 189
(2) Ibid
(3) Ibid
(4) NSW Government Directory 1990 p. 151