On 17 February 2009, the Premier announced a new employment program to boost jobs for young people in NSW. The program committed to 6,000 new government apprenticeships and cadetships over the next four years.

The Training Management Guidelines have been revised and reissued to support the Government’s jobs strategy. This will ensure that the Government’s construction works provide additional opportunities for the employment of apprentices and trainees.

The Guidelines require construction industry enterprises on major government projects to provide a strategic approach to training and skills development in the construction industry, at both the enterprise and project level.

The Guidelines apply to government construction projects and specify apprenticeship employment targets and training targets for contractors working on these projects. These requirements must be included in tendering and contract documents and used for contractor pre-qualification. Agencies must report on their progress in meeting these targets as part of the project progress reports provided via the Major Capital Projects Reporting System (MCPRS).

Agencies must ensure that the next update of works in MCPRS accurately reflects the current number of apprentices employed on all construction projects valued at $1 million or more.

Agencies are to ensure that future tenders for construction works above $1 million are only accepted if the responses specifically address the requirements set out in the invitation documents in relation to employment of apprentices.

Agencies must ensure that contracts include the requirement to employ apprentices under the Guidelines. Successful contractors are also required to incorporate government branding when advertising for apprentices for these projects. Advice on branding is available from the Department of Commerce.

This applies to all public sector agencies.  This includes all agencies and employees in the Government Service (Public Service Departments, Non-Public Service Divisions and Special Employment Divisions), the Teaching Service, NSW Police and the NSW Health Service. The Treasurer will write separately to State Owned Corporations concerning the adoption of the provisions of this circular.

John Lee
Director General

Issued: Public Sector Workforce Branch
Contact: Fatima Abbas, Director Workforce Strategy
Email: [email protected]
Telephone no: 9228 3130 Facsimile: 9228 4704
 

This circular should be read in conjunction with Memorandum 2009-07.

Implementation enquiries: Department of Premier and Cabinet – Fatima Abbas, ph 9228 3130, fax 9228 4704, email [email protected]

Apprenticeship policy enquiries: Department of Education and Training, State Training Services – Phillip Moore, ph 9266 8007, email [email protected]

General procurement policy enquiries: NSW Treasury - Stephen Chong, ph 9228 4417, fax 9228 5748, email [email protected]

MCPRS enquiries: NSW Treasury - Hardy Ruckert, ph 9228 4437, fax 9228 5748, email [email protected]