NT’s workforce upskilling efforts to receive $92m investment

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Image credit: newsroom.nt.gov.au

The Northern Territory government is bolstering its efforts to boost the local workforce in 2023, with a $92 million investment in training and skilling programs. 

The Skilling the Territory Investment Plan 2022-23 outlines the government’s efforts to establish a skilled workforce through investment in various training programs and initiatives. 

Approximately $28.2 million will go towards apprenticeships and traineeships, including the User Choice Program, which provides support to Registered Training Organisations to train and assess apprentices and trainees. 

Targeted and responsive programs, such as the Industry Buildskills program, which supports Territory employers to upskill or reskill existing workers in occupations and industry sectors, will receive about $12.7 million. 

Paul Kirby, minister for business, jobs and training, said apprenticeships and trainees and the businesses that employ them are essential to the Northern Territory’s workforce and are key to NT’s $40 billion economy goal by 2030. 

“The government’s number one priority continues to be jobs for Territorians and to ensure those already employed or upskilled or reskill to build careers and stay in the Territory,” Kirby said. 

“The funding discussed today allows NTTS to deliver training onsite in remote locations at little to no cost to councils, community organisations and students,” Northern Territory Training Services General Manager Daniel Ryan. 

“It will also help us to expand on our current Civil Construction and Plant & Equipment programs to include Cert. 2 in Indigenous Housing Repairs and Maintenance.”