Vocational Training and Employment Centres (VTECs)

Update

The Australian Government announced in the 2021-22 Budget a commitment to develop a new place-based Indigenous Skills and Employment Program to replace the Vocational Training and Employment Centres (VTEC), Tailored Assistance Employment Grants (TAEG) and Employment Parity Initiative (EPI) from 1 July 2022. For information please visit Indigenous Skills and Employment Program (ISEP).

What is a Vocational Training and Employment Centre?

A Vocational Training and Employment Centre (VTEC) connects Indigenous job seekers with a guaranteed job for 26 weeks.

The guarantee of a job before job-specific training starts, is the key feature of VTECs. This ensures:

job seekers choose to participate in the program
vocational or job-specific training is directly related to available jobs
employers can recruit job seekers with the right skills for specific jobs
the commitment of job seekers is rewarded with guaranteed employment.

How do VTECs work?

VTECs work closely with services, individuals and communities to identify, train and support Indigenous people into jobs and achieve long-term employment outcomes.

VTECs work with employers, employment services and Indigenous communities to identify jobs and establish training requirements. During a guaranteed work placement of 26 weeks, VTECs provide wrap-around support for the employee.

VTECs work with job seekers to prepare them for a guaranteed job for 26 weeks. This ensures job seekers have the skills to succeed in the job and training meets the needs of the employer.

VTECs take a five-phase approach:

Community engagement – Engaging with Indigenous communities and building work aspirations among Indigenous job seekers.
Work readiness – Strengthening the capacity of Indigenous job seekers and addressing barriers to employment.
Vocational training – Preparing Indigenous job seekers for a specific job in line with an employers’ requirements.
Guaranteed job – Creating a mutual commitment between job seekers and employers through a guaranteed job for 26 weeks.
Post-placement support – Focussing on employee retention, which could include employee mentoring and cultural awareness support for employers.