“That ICPA (Aust) requests the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to amend guidelines, so that the Australian Apprenticeship Support Service (AASS) providers ensure rural and remote Australian Apprentices are fully supported by each provider and are recognised as a Service Specialisation within the 2024-2026 AASS contract guidelines.”
Recognition that ‘rural and remote’ are a separate specialisation group is required to ensure appropriate assistance is provided so those in need have equity of access to post school qualifications. Bourke Branch appreciates that this has been somewhat addressed in the recent review of non-financial support for www.icpa.com.au 332024 Federal Conference Agenda Motions apprentices where the four Key Client Groups to be supported by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations contracted AASSs are:
• Australian Apprentices in Remote Australia, along with
• Women in Male Dominated Trades • First Nation Australian Apprentices
• Australian Apprentices with Disability.
Although the guidelines contain positive changes the latest contract for AASS’s has not placed Australian Apprentices in Remote Australia as a Service Specialisation, as it has for the other three Key Client Groups. (section 2.3 of Request for Tenders for AASS 2024-6 document page 29)
Under the new contract commencing July 2024, AASSs will no longer be the provider of the full nonfinancial support system for Australian Apprentices as was previously the case. Within the new structure our understanding is that if an AASS has not received the contract for specialist areas of support, who is supporting these apprentices who require the specialist support but sit within the geographic area the AASS has been contracted to cover? Should an apprentice require specialist support, it is concerning that if their AASS is not contracted to offer this support they may either not receive the identified supports or will have to navigate contact and assistance from a second AASS.
