In a new initiative for 2024, the State Government has announced the formation of a new Apprentice and Trainee Training and Safety Committee, underscoring its commitment to apprentice safety. This decision builds on the substantial efforts made in 2023 to enhance apprenticeship education and safety standards.
The Malinauskas Labor Government’s focus on this critical issue has already seen significant actions in the previous year. The Department for Education, collaborating with the Skills Commissioner, has notably increased its outreach to employers, educating over 1,700 about their responsibilities towards apprentices and trainees, marking a 3% increase from the prior year.
Additionally, investigations into employer non-compliance surged, with 36 cases noted—an increase of 29 from the previous year. The government’s firm stance on safety violations is evident in the 18 sanctions imposed on non-compliant employers, up by 11 from the previous year.
Chaired by SA Skills Commissioner Cameron Baker, the new committee comprises various organisations responsible for overseeing apprentice and trainee training, safety, and wellbeing, including SafeWork SA. It aims to initiate work in March, focusing on enhancing on-the-job training quality and workplace safety for over 28,000 apprentices and trainees in the state.
‘With many apprentices and trainees aged between 16 and 21 years old and inexperienced in the world of work, the South Australian Skills Commission is committed to supporting safe workplace initiatives’, says Baker.
‘Helping them navigate workplaces for the first time and ensuring they are provided with the on-job training they signed up for, and their safety, both physical and psychological, are key priorities for me and the team at the Skills Commission.’
In a pioneering move nationally, the committee will also include direct representation from those most affected by its decisions. This includes the inclusion of the Apprentice of the Year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year, and Trainee of the Year, providing a platform for apprentices and trainees to offer direct guidance and insights.
The types of non-compliances investigated in 2023 ranged from inadequate supervision and failures in releasing apprentices for training to not providing a full scope of work necessary for competencies. The most common regulatory response involved imposing conditions on an employer’s registration, such as evidencing appropriate supervision and training, limiting new apprentices, and conducting risk assessments.
More severe sanctions included prohibiting employers from employing apprentices, cancelling or suspending registrations, and issuing compliance notices for specific actions to correct non-compliance.
Minister for Education, Training, and Skills Blair Boyer highlighted the government’s stance on the issue.
‘Too many apprentices and trainees drop out of their course because of issues in the workplace. By making workplaces safer for all workers, we will see more South Australians take on a trade and more apprentices finish their course and fill skills shortages in areas such as construction, defence, and renewable energy’, says Boyer.
‘Our government has zero tolerance for the very small number of employers who do the wrong thing – and we take all action necessary to ensure all workplaces are safe for apprentices and trainees’, Boyer added. He also emphasised the dual focus on educating employers and the formation of the new safety committee to provide advice on further enhancing workplace safety.
SA Skills Commissioner Cameron Baker also stressed the importance of guiding young workers and ensuring their physical and psychological safety.
‘The formation of the Apprentice and Trainee Training and Safety Committee is an important step in protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable workers. We are pleased to take the lead in this important work to develop lasting changes and ensure we are best placed as a state to meet the skills needs of the future.’
This initiative marks a significant step forward in ensuring the safety and proper training of apprentices and trainees, addressing a critical need in the workforce development of South Australia.
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