"The retention of Brendan Nelson as Senior Portfolio Minister and the appointment of a new Vocational and Technical Education Minister, The Hon Gary Hardgrave is very welcome and should be applauded by all those in the vocational education and training sector" Jim Barron, CEO of Group Training Australia (GTA) said today.

"Minister Hardgrave should have three priorities in his new portfolio - skills shortages, skills shortages and skills shortages."

Importantly, the experienced hand of Minister Nelson will be there to guide Minister Hardgrave in his new responsibilities.

GTA represents the single largest employer network of apprentices and trainees in the country and has been at the forefront of calls for national action on the skills shortages front. For many years now, group training organisations have underpinned much of this country's traditional trade base and will play a critical role in providing lasting solutions to the problem.

"During the election campaign, the Prime Minister flagged that a 4th term Coalition government would put skills shortages at the top of its 'to do' list" Mr Barron said.
"The election talk from the Prime Minister on skills shortage and vocational education and training was very welcome and a real political breakthrough."

"Talk must now translate into action. In that context it is imperative that Minister Hardgrave hit the ground running and give an early indication of what he has in mind regarding the overall government strategy to deal with skills shortages."

"Critical to the Commonwealth's policy response will be how best to address the current federated dog's breakfast afflicting vocational education and training in this country.
Leaving overall responsibility for solving skills shortages in the hands of 8 different State and Territory bureaucracies is obviously not part of the Coalition plan. The campaign promise of 24 commonwealth technical colleges was a clear signal that the Coalition government was no longer going to accept "more of the same" from the States and Territories."

"A truly national leadership role from the Commonwealth in the area of skills policy and vocational education and training is long overdue and very welcome. GTA looks forward to working very closely with Minister Hardgrave and I can assure him and the government, that as a network currently employing 40,000 apprentices and trainees, group training will be doing all it can to train the next generation of skilled workers."