Treasurer Jim Chalmers gets to work on fresh jobs plan

Aussies will soon have access to a brand new style of apprenticeship under a fresh plan to get more young people to enrol in TAFE.

Advanced degree-like apprenticeships will be offered in a push to double the number of young Australians skilled in areas such as clean energy and the care economy.

Under the plan, the bachelor-equivalent apprenticeships will be established independent of universities in a bid to stop the decline of people signing up for trades.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will outline the new pathway as part of the government’s employment white paper on Monday.

The jobs blueprint, the first of its kind since 1994, is set to include initiatives and policy directions across a range of areas, including reforms to the migration system, investment in skills and changes to enhance workforce participation.

Dr Chalmers said the white papers, a commitment from Labor’s jobs and skills summit last year, seeks “common ground” between employers and workers.

“We've all got an interest in a more productive, competitive and innovative economy,” he told ABC’s AM on Monday morning.

A new jobs plan will be released by the government on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We've all got an interest in creating opportunities and making sure that people can grasp those opportunities in more parts of Australia.”

Ahead of the report’s release, the government confirmed it would stump up $31m to fast track up to six new TAFE Centres of Excellence, a program encouraging partnerships between providers, industry and higher education.

Another $10m will be provided to develop higher and degree apprenticeships.

Dr Chalmer said the government wants to double the take up of commencements of the advanced apprenticeship within five years.

In particular, it wants more Australians skilled in areas net zero, care, and digitisation.

“We know where our economy is headed and where our country is headed, and we need to make sure that we can train people to grab those opportunities and so that employers can find the people that they need when they need them,” he said.

Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor said the changes were designed to help students move more easily between vocational education and higher education.

“For the workers of the future it doesn’t necessarily have to be one or the other – TAFE or Uni – it can be a combination of technical skills development and conceptual knowledge,” Mr O’Connor said.

Alongside the launch of digital passport for skills, the government has also foreshadowed changes to the government’s full-employment objective to “sustained and inclusive employment”.