Final round for 1000 Public Sector Apprenticeships & Traineeships Program

The NSW Government is advancing its pledge to recruit an additional 1,000 apprentices and trainees across public sector departments, with the final round of applications now open. Funding has been approved for an additional 432 roles across 73 agencies, taking the total number of roles offered above the original 1000 target.

Since the program launched, 651 young people have already been placed, with an impressive 94% retention rate. The placements are well distributed, with nearly equal representation in regional and metropolitan areas.

Among the agencies participating in the final round of the program are National Parks & Wildlife Service, Art Gallery of NSW, NSW Police, NSW Port Authority, Transport for NSW, Sydney Trains, Essential Energy, and NSW Health.

This flagship program complements other NSW efforts to expand youth employment and skills development across the state. For more information, or to submit an expression of interest application, visit the NSW Government website.

Voices of apprentices and trainees shape NSW Training Reform

Apprentices and trainees from across NSW recently met with Skills Minister Steve Whan in Dapto to share firsthand insights on improving the state’s apprenticeship and traineeship framework.

This roundtable featured VET Ambassadors who are past winners and finalists from the NSW Training Awards, representing sectors such as engineering, healthcare, hospitality, education, construction, and local government. Their discussions focused on both strengths and pain points in the system, aiming to inform reforms under the NSW Government’s review of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act.

The review, a key plank of the NSW Skills Plan and a response to workforce skill shortages, is designed to strengthen the system by making it easier to navigate and responsive to user needs while remaining aligned to industry demands in areas such as clean energy, care, technology, and construction.

To date, over 8,000 survey responses have been received to a review of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act, highlighting recurring themes such as the need for consistent workplace support, clearer understanding of learner rights, and streamlined administrative processes to boost completion rates. The Dapto consultation is one of several being held statewide to ensure reforms are grounded in the experiences of those who live them.

Minister Whan emphasized that hearing from lived experience is vital, stating that this feedback will guide efforts to create a system that is simpler, fairer and gives every apprentice and trainee the best chance of success. He added that apprenticeships and traineeships are foundational to building NSW’s future workforce and economic prosperity.

Read the full article on the Department of Education website.

New competency benchmark for local water utility operators in NSW

Following extensive consultation with the water and training industries, the Competency benchmark for LWU operators in NSW has been released. 

The Competency benchmark aims to address significant challenges in the water sector, including inconsistent training standards, limited access to quality training, and a lack of clear guidance on the skills required for critical operational roles. 

NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is seeking expressions of interest from professionals across the water operations and training sectors to join a new Advisory Panel supporting implementation of the competency benchmark. 

EOIs close 24 October 2025. More information is available here.

Regulators plan to simplify VET and Higher Education oversight

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) have released their Dual Sector Regulatory Strategy, outlining a plan to reduce red tape and improve coordination for providers delivering both vocational and higher education programs.

Dual-sector institutions currently face significant duplication, needing to comply with multiple regulatory frameworks. The new strategy recognises this burden and sets out three practical steps that can begin immediately and be completed within three years:

• Better collaboration and information sharing between regulators to avoid duplicate audits and reviews.
• Aligned evidence requirements for similar compliance activities to streamline reporting.
• Support for stronger governance within dual-sector providers to build confidence and reduce oversight complexity.

The strategy also highlights longer-term goals, including greater harmonisation of standards, improved data sharing, and research into innovative assurance models. Together, these reforms aim to create a more coherent regulatory environment that maintains quality while freeing providers to focus on teaching, learning, and student outcomes.

New fleet strengthens NSW SES disaster response efforts

The NSW Government is boosting the State Emergency Service’s (SES) disaster response capacity with the rollout of new purpose-built flood rescue vehicles across regional and coastal NSW.

As part of the government’s ongoing fleet replacement program, the upgrades include 10 new High Clearance Vehicles and 11 light flood rescue Land Cruisers. The new additions will significantly enhance the SES’s ability to access isolated communities and perform critical rescues during flood and storm events.

The new additions will significantly enhance the SES’s ability to access isolated communities and perform critical rescues during flood and storm events.

SES Deputy Commissioner Damien Johnson described the vehicles as a significant step in strengthening frontline emergency capability. He confirmed the designs reflect the realities of field operations such as wading through floodwaters, navigating fire trails or delivering supplies to cut-off communities.

The high clearance 4WD vehicles feature custom-built flood rescue bodies, integrated raft storage, and off-road capability to operate in water depths of up to 1.2 metres.

The rollout follows one of the SES’s busiest years since 2022, with more than 59,000 incidents attended across NSW which was up by 24,500 on the previous year. These new vehicles will ensure SES volunteers are better equipped to respond safely and efficiently when the next emergency strikes.

Read the full article on the NSW Government website.

National housing target to create an unprecedented workforce challenge

Australia’s goal to build 1.2 million new homes by 2029 will require a dramatic expansion of the construction workforce, according to the 2025 Housing Workforce Capacity Study released by BuildSkills Australia, the national Jobs and Skills Council for the built environment sector.

The report states that only 23,000 more workers will enter construction by 2029 at current rates, which is well below demand.  To meet the National Housing Accord target, a further 116,700 workers must be mobilised nationwide.

BuildSkills describes the task as a profound challenge, requiring a broad-based and sustained increase in residential construction labour across all regions. The report notes that unlike past growth cycles, the industry cannot rely on workers shifting from other sectors such as mining or commercial construction, as demand for skilled labour remains high across the economy.

It also cautions that rising capital investment will likely intensify labour shortages, creating “historically unprecedented imbalances” in workforce supply and demand over the coming years.