Skills for Growth

Small and medium enterprises play a pivotal role in Victoria’s overall economy as they account for more than 99 per cent of all Victorian businesses, and employ nearly one million people across a range of industries.
Whatever industry your small to medium-sized business is involved in, you will always need skilled and job-ready people to help you meet your goals in the short, medium and longer term.

The Victorian Government recognises the important contribution small and medium-sized businesses make and has committed $52 million to Skills for Growth: the Workforce Development Program

Skills for Growth: the Workforce Development Program provides a team of independent specialists who will work with you – free of charge - to identify your strategic business aims and objectives. They will assess the skills of your existing workforce and identify opportunities for skills development and training. A training plan will be put together in consultation with you, and the specialist will help you to find the most appropriate training for your business needs.

From April 2009, the program will aim to assist 5,500 Victorian small and medium sized enterprises put 55,000 of their employees into accredited training. Skills-based training helps businesses develop innovative and cost-effective work practices and highlights opportunities for productivity and growth.

The benefits of having your management and staff participate in this program include:
• increasing the productivity and efficiency of your workforce through improved skills;
• developing and applying expertise across your business, products and services;
• improvements to workplace practices and procedures; and
• skills-based training programs that meet business needs.

Your employees will continue to adapt, take on new challenges, work more effectively and apply their new skills in practical ways to benefit and grow your business.

To learn more about the program, or to register your interest in participating, visit: www.business.vic.gov.au/skillsforgrowth  www.skills.vic.gov.au Alternatively, visit one of our metropolitan or regional Victorian Government Business Offices or call Business Victoria on 13 22 15.

Recommended Service Providers

Australian Vocational Training & Employment Services

Bill Lang International Pty Ltd

Box Hill Institute of TAFE

BRACE Education Training & Employment

Business Skills Services Pty Ltd

Centre for Adult Education

Chisholm Institute of TAFE

Deloitte Growth Solutions Pty Ltd

Drake Australia Pty Ltd

East Gippsland Institute of TAFE

FS Learning

Gipps TAFE Employment & Transitional Training Centre

Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE

Industry Education and Training Services

Pacific Personnel Australia Pty Ltd

Phalanx Resources Pty Ltd

Swinburne University of Technology

Transport Distribution Training (Victoria) Inc

University of Ballarat

Verve - knowledge and skills

Skilling Business, a consortium of Victoria University and Australian Industry Group

Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce

Wodonga Institute of TAFE

WORKCO Limited

Note: This is the list of recommended service providers that will be offered contracts to deliver the Skills for Growth Program.

Program Eligibility:
Skills for Growth: the Workforce Development Program is open to all Victorian-based small and medium sized businesses. To be eligible, your business must:
• employ between 1 to 200 staff;
• have been in operation for at least 12 months; and
• be financially viable.

The Victorian Training Guarantee:
In some cases, your staff may be eligible for The Victorian Training Guarantee which entitles Victorians to a subsidised place in a recognised vocational training course. Eligibility will be determined by factors such as age, prior educational history, citizenship and residency status.

SBMS is proudly supported by the Victorian Government and Business Victoria