Eligible older Australians will soon have increased support to upskill or transition into new roles and careers as the tender is released for the Australian Government’s Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers Program (the Program) and Skills and Training Incentive (the Incentive).
The Program and Incentive were announced as part of the Federal Budget’s ‘More Choices for a Longer Life’ package and the opening of a tender is the next step towards delivering support to thousands of older Australians.
Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills Karen Andrews said the Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers Program is based on a pilot model that was run in 2015-16 by the Department of Education and Training.
“The $17.4 million Program will provide eligible Australians with advice and guidance on transitioning into new roles within their current industry or pathways to a new career, including referral to relevant education and training options,” Minister Andrews said.
“This will support Australians aged 45 to 70 who are employed, but at risk of entering the income support system, or those who’ve recently become unemployed and are not registered for assistance through an employment services program.”
The Program is expected to commence in September 2018 with participants provided with a range of supports aimed at helping them to remain in the workforce or to re enter the workforce.
“It is important for all Australians to think about upskilling or reskilling as they get older—we are all living longer and need to plan for this,” Minister Andrews said.
“There is a world of opportunities out there and the Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers Program will assist people to make the most of these opportunities.”
Eligible participants in the Program may also be eligible to access the $19.3 million Skills and Training Incentive delivered by the Department of Jobs and Small Business.
Recipients of the Incentive may be eligible for up to $2,000 towards suitable training (accredited or non-accredited), with the value of the Incentive to be matched by either the recipient or their employer.
The Incentive will not only assist individuals but also employers, by lowering the upfront cost of investing in skills development for their older workers. The Incentive will be available from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020.
The tender opened today (24 July 2018) and will close on 17 August 2018.
Further information on the Program is available on the Department of Education and Training’s website https://www.education.gov.au/skillscheckpointprogram.
Further information on the Incentive is available on the Department of Jobs and Small Business’s website https://www.jobs.gov.au/skills-and-training-incentive.
Further information on the tender process is available on AusTender https://www.tenders.gov.au/