Step Into Skills
Visiting Queanbeyan, just outside Canberra Sunday morning, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd took the opportunity to visit the bellweather seat of Eden-Monaro, to announce a new election promise. He announced the “Step Into Skills” program.
The Seat of Eden-Monaro, held by Mike Kelly, with a margin of 6,000 votes at the last election, is just outside Canberra. Rudd chose to hold the Press Conference for his announcement at a late breakfast spot, at the outside cafe at stunning Benedict House in Queanbeyan.
The Prime Minister talked up the “Step Into Skills” program, a $35million training plan aimed at helping groups of mainly young people who, Mr. Rudd said, “often fall between the cracks”
“There is a group of young folks who often fall between the cracks, that is those who come out of the school system but are not ready, in terms of their skills set, to head into formal vocational training.”
Mr Rudd said that although the National unemployment rate is around 5.7%, the rate for 15 to 24 year olds is 12%, with those in the 15 to 19 bracket, 20%, and this is the core group the proposed plan aims to help “to make a difference to them and their families.”
