Changes to tendering for government ICT contracts
If your business plans to tender for Federal Government ICT contracts valued at $10 million or more, there are important changes happening that you need to know about.
What’s changing?
From 1 July 2024, there will be minimum targets for the engagement of apprentices, trainees and paid cadets, along with targets for women, that will apply under the Australian Skills Guarantee (ASG).
What is the ASG?
The ASG uses government investment in major projects to help train the next generation of skilled workers. It includes new national targets for apprentices, trainees and paid cadets working on Australian Government-funded major projects.
The ASG will also introduce national targets for women to increase the proportion of women working on major projects and drive long-term sustainable change to reduce gender segregation in the apprenticeship system.
What does this mean for my ICT business?
From 1 July 2024, the ASG applies to all direct Commonwealth procurements in the ICT sector with a total value of $10 million or more. Initially, targets for apprentices, trainees and paid cadets, and targets for women, will be negotiated on a project-by-project basis.
In comparison, major construction projects of a similar value will be required to allocate a minimum of 10% of all labour hours to be undertaken by apprentices and trainees, with a minimum of 6% of all apprentice/trainee hours to be undertaken by women. targets for women will increase annually by one percentage point, reaching a minimum of 12% for women in apprenticeships and traineeships in 2030.
There’s never been a better time to get ahead of the competition by preparing your business for these changes.
How can MEGT help?
MEGT has a proud history of being a trusted leader in the ICT traineeship space.
In 2019, we joined the Microsoft Traineeship Program in which MEGT-employed trainees are placed with host employers to provide day-to-day work and supervision, on-the-job training and development. To date, more than 500 trainees have engaged with the program.
The Microsoft Traineeship Programs gives employers:
- Direct access to a new and emerging group of passionate candidates
- Opportunities to grow a diverse, talented team aligned with specific business needs
- Ongoing support from MEGT for the life of the traineeship
- Continued partnership with Microsoft and an opportunity to increase their pool of Microsoft-certified professionals
How do I find out more?
If you’d like more information about changes to the ASG, or how an ICT trainee can benefit your business, contact us today.