High school students across the state will soon be able to finish school with an apprenticeship or traineeship, ready for work in high demand and high growth industries, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams, announced that the Government’s new Head Start Apprenticeships and Traineeships initiative would launch in Dandenong at three local schools – Dandenong High School, Lyndale Secondary College and Emerson School.

Head Start will deliver up to 1,700 new apprenticeships and traineeships at 100 secondary schools across Victoria – giving local students more support to study an apprenticeship or traineeship at school.

Students can stay at school an extra year to finish their VCAL, VCE and their apprenticeships while spending more time doing important, paid, on the job training.

Schools will get additional support and funding to help run Head Start. This includes a school-based Head Start coordinator to help deliver the initiative, providing employment and vocational pathway advice and one-on-one support to students.

The Victorian Budget 2018/19 provided $49.8 million to deliver Head Start, alongside $109 million to overhaul secondary school career education and $26 million to enhance vocational education in schools.

Head Start will provide apprenticeships targeted at priority industries and traditional trades like construction, defence and health, with enterprise apprenticeships and traineeships to be developed that target high technology areas needed for the jobs of tomorrow like coding.

The Labor Government’s Education State is making sure all students are supported to get a great education, stay in school and learn the skills they need for the future.