Regional businesses urged to look to youth

THE Victorian Chamber of Commerce pushed the need for more apprenticeships and traineeships in regional areas in a presentation to the Geelong business community about its multi-pronged preelection campaign strategy.

Key planks of the chamber’s regional priorities include growing regional exports, improving access for regional businesses to government procurement contracts, seeking further rail and road infrastructure projects and improving the operating environment for regional businesses.

Chief executive Mark Stone said there had been a focus on apprenticeships and traineeships with the State Government delivering “good gains” in this year’s Budget.

“The government is now looking at apprenticeships in schools including the prospect of a 13th year,” Mr Stone said.

“Someone who starts their apprenticeship at school wouldn’t need to leave at Year 12 and leave all their friends and the comfortable environment they are in.”

Mr Stone said there would soon be a significant campaign to attract young talent to apprenticeships with Victoria having stagnated with about 10,000 people in apprenticeships every year for the last 10 years.

Given the state’s population growth “we have actually gone backwards”, he said.

“The unemployment rate is 5.6 per cent but in the between 17 to 24 year-old group, it’s more like 12 per cent,” Mr Stone said.

The chamber also wants new and improved programs to open export opportunities, calling for $25 million to pilot an industry-led ‘Supply Chain Development’ program.

“The awareness of the benefits and the opportunities through free trade agreements are not that well known,” Mr Stone said.

He said the general confidence in the market in Victoria was very positive.

Describing conditions as the “most buoyant” he had seen, Mr Stone said some sectors, particularly construction, would soon be running out of resources and talent.