3AW Breakfast with Ross and John

INTERVIEWER: Prime Minister Scott Morrison today will declare that he wants more Australians on the tools instead of more lawyers and consultants. I’ve said to you for some time now, I’d be absolutely delighted if one of my children pursued a trade.

Michaelia Cash is the Minister for Employment. Minister, good morning to you.

MINISTER CASH: Good morning. Good morning to your listeners. I’m thrilled by that comment, regarding your kids. Fantastic.

INTERVIEWER: My only other question is, if we do get more kids into trades and onto the tools, will there be enough work for them.

MINISTER CASH: Absolutely. What employers are telling us is that industry is literally screaming out for people who are work-ready from day one. And as you rightly pointed out, that is exactly what vocational education and training promises you.

And I’m really excited that in about half an hour’s time, I’m going to be with the Prime Minister, and we are going to announce that Scott Cam, that household name, is going to be appointed as the inaugural National Careers Ambassador in Australia.

INTERVIEWER: Well, I was going to ask you, Michaelia, that apart from getting Scotty Cam to get on TV and say “pick up your tools”, what else are you going to do to encourage kids to go and join a trade?

MINISTER CASH: Oh, look, I think Scott Cam – household name, former apprentice, employs apprentices, runs his own business – will lift the profile and really shine the light on exactly what vocational education can offer you.

But in terms of what more we’re doing, this is all about ensuring that mums and dads, and kids, understand the different career pathways that there are.

Because so many people think, you leave school, you go to university. They don’t actually understand – no, no, no – there are so many other options available to you, but the information is really, really confusing.

So we’re going to ensure that we have the right career information out there so people can make an informed choice. And Scott Cam, that household name, former apprentice, he is going to actually headline that for us.

INTERVIEWER: Good on you Minister.

MINISTER CASH: Great to be with you. And I hope one of the kids does take up a VET pathway.

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