POPULAR WORDS

Commerce Queensland has given its support to the federal government's promotion of technical trades, but has warned against underinvesting in other areas. A report released today shows an increase in apprentices not finishing their trades. Prime Minister John Howard yesterday said year 10 students should consider taking up trades instead of finishing year 12 and going to university. The Commonwealth has also committed to establishing 24 technical colleges, which it says will provide an education for up to 7,200 students each year. Commerce Queensland President Graham Heilbronn says a major problem is the current imbalance between industry needs and training. "It makes sense to push the skills that are in demand and at this time it is the technical industries which face the greatest shortages," Heilbronn says. "If current skill shortages are not contained, the medium to long term economic effects could be profound. Businesses are being forced to adjusting prices to account for increasing labour costs and this will place upward pressures on inflation and interest rates. "It is also only fair to ensure that young people, who put years into training and education, end up with employment." The industry group says there must also be a balanced approach to national training. It says while promoting trades is a start, both state and federal governments need to provide the training resources to cater for geographical demands. "Currently specific skills are limited to some areas, restricting accessibility of training. While we do need some people to pursue trades, we also need others to pursue professional careers," the group says.