Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)

 

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations is the lead government agency providing national leadership in education and workplace training, transition to work and conditions and values in the workplace.

 

Early Childhood Programs
The Australian Government’s agenda for early childhood education and child care focuses on providing Australian families with high-quality, accessible and affordable integrated early childhood education and child care. The agenda has a strong emphasis on connecting with schools to ensure all Australian children are fully prepared for learning and life. Investing in the health, education, development and care of our children benefits children and their families, our communities and the economy, and is critical to lifting workforce participation and delivering the Government’s productivity agenda.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations helps families to participate in the social and economic life of the community through the provision of support for child care services.

 

For further information go to:  http://www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildhood/Pages/Overview.aspx

 

Schooling Australia’s future depends on a high quality and dynamic school education system to provide students with foundation skills, values, knowledge and understanding necessary for lifelong learning, employment and full participation in society.

Schooling in Australia starts with a kindergarten or preparatory year followed by 12 years of primary and secondary school. In the final year of secondary school, Year 12, you can study for a government-endorsed certificate that is recognised by all Australian universities and vocational education and training institutions. This Senior Secondary Certificate of Education is also recognised by many international universities.



Primary and Secondary Schooling

States and territories have the primary responsibility for funding state government schools. They also provide supplementary assistance to non-government schools. The Australian Government is the primary source of public funding for non-government schools, while also providing supplementary assistance to government schools. Most non-government schools have some religious affiliation, with approximately two-thirds of non-government school students enrolled in Catholic schools.
 
For further information go to:  http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/Pages/overview.aspx

 

Higher Education Programs
The Australian higher education system is seen to make a fundamental contribution to the future of Australia and plays a vital role in Australia’s intellectual, economic, cultural and social development. The higher education sector educates our future professional workforce, creates future leaders, provides jobs for Australians, drives much of our economic and regional success, and facilitates cultural and trade links with other countries. The sector plays a key role in the growing knowledge and innovation based economic health of Australia.

For further information go to: http://www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Pages/Overview.aspx

 

Skills
The training and skills sector, also known as vocational education and training or VET, gives Australians the opportunity to gain the skills they need to enter the workforce for the first time, to re-enter the workforce, to retrain for a new job or to upgrade their skills for an existing job. Australian Apprenticeships are available in traditional trades, and in a diverse range of emerging careers, in most sectors of business and industry.

The Australian Government takes a lead role in promoting a post-school education and training system that is nationally consistent and coherent; responsive to individual, industry and community needs; and recognised as providing quality outcomes. To achieve this, the Australian Government works with state and territory governments, education and training providers, and industry.


For further information go to:  http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/Overview/Pages/Overview.aspx

 

Youth
In 2008 the youth portfolio was re-established and a Minister for Youth was appointed, indicating a clear Government commitment to working with and for young people.

The Office for Youth was established in 2008 to work across Government to bring a youth specific focus and drive a concentrated, coordinated approach to policies, programs and services which affect young people.

The Office’s guiding principles are to:

·         recognise the importance young people have to Australian life;

·         understand the diversity of young people’s life circumstances; and

·         acknowledge the challenges and opportunities that are unique to this generation

 

For further information go to:  http://www.deewr.gov.au/Youth/Pages/Overview.aspx

 

Employment

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations provides access to online services and information, guiding you to employment information, government assistance, jobs, careers and training.

·         For Job seekers

·         For Employees

·         For Employers

·         For Industry

·         For Service providers

·         Employment programs

·         New Employment Services

·         Research and statistics

·         Policy and reviews

·         Publications

For further information go to:  http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/Pages/Overview.aspx

 

Workplace Relations
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations is involved with a wide range of policy and issues relating to the workplace.

·         Australia's new workplace relations system

·         Labour market

·         Trade agreements: Australia-US Free Trade Agreement - Labour Chapter

 

For further information go to:  http://www.deewr.gov.au/workplacerelations/Pages/Overview.aspx

 

Indigenous
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is committed to the Australian Government's goal of reducing Indigenous disadvantage and to reconciliation between Indigenous and other Australians.

On 13 February 2008, during the Apology to the Stolen Generations, the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, committed to six ambitious targets to Close the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Council of Australian Governments has endorsed these targets.

Of the Closing the Gap targets, DEEWR has key responsibility for the following:

1.       to ensure all Indigenous four years olds in remote communities have access to early childhood education within five years;

2.       to halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for Indigenous children within a decade;

3.       to halve the gap for Indigenous students in year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020; and

4.       to halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade.

The Australian Government, in partnership with State and Territory Governments, has been working to develop fundamental reforms to address Indigenous disadvantage. Five Indigenous specific National Partnerships have been developed - in health, housing, early childhood development, economic participation and remote service delivery. The new funding arrangements for education will also work to Close the Gap in Indigenous educational disadvantage.

 

For further information go to:  http://www.deewr.gov.au/Indigenous/Pages/Overview.aspx

 

We would like to acknowledge the Australian Government  Department Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) website as the source of this information.

This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations under the National Disability Coordination Officer Program. The views expressed in these materials are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.