New question in the Q&A section

Question: Hi and Congratulations on being elected and for your great work that i have been following to date.



The Question I have is a general broad one. Apprenticeships and lack of them.



This is a large unnoticed problems in our community, It is fact that we are not producing enough tradesmen to replace those that are retiring or leaving thier profession. The current Government says thier are so many shortages and promotes trades more and more.



However the apprenticeships are JUST NOT THERE



The companies are not employing them as it hurts there bottom line. small business dont have enough incentives and dont want the hassle.



I myself and looking for an apprenticeship in Electrical . I have been looking and trying for over a year... Every time i attend interviews information sessions the story is the same, they have 500-600 even more applicants for 1 job. It is clear there is a huge problem here the government is promoting but is not providing and it is our future as a country that is suffering for it. I have been following the socialist party for some time now and feel this is an issue that is understated and needs to be brought up to the table



My Question is: What would/could a socialist government/party do to address this incresing problem?



Answer from Stephen Jolly:

Dear Clinton,

Thanks for your question.



We, as a party, stand for a massive boost in expenditure to education to the degree that it becomes free and accessible for all, not just the rich. On the basis of a socialist government taking into public ownership under workers control and management, the top 150 companies, we can undertake an economic plan that would shift resources to infrastructure, education, health, housing etc at the expense of defence, advertising, speculation and so on.



We think it the current 'skills shortage' was an inevitable result of user pays, HECS, underfunding of Tafe, and greedy bosses refusing to train young workers.



On Council, I chair the new Youth Advisory Committee and one change we are going to propose to the full Council meeting in April is that we user our leverage with contractors and only give tenders to firms who take on apprentices and to developers who stick to the union push for 1 apprentice for every 5 tradespersons.



Keep in touch and let us know your views on all this.



Regards

Stephen Jolly