Twenty-three-year-old electrician Rhys Caddy has become the 700,000 apprentice signed up by MEGT to complete their qualifications.
At a ceremony held in Sunshine, Mr Caddy was presented with his certificate of completion after four years of earning and learning both on the job, and via formal classroom training with the Box Hill Institute.
Fraser MP Dr Daniel Mulino told attendees that Mr Caddy’s ’ story was a great example of why apprentices and their employers play such a vital role in the Australian workforce.
“700,000 completed apprenticeships is a huge number, but Rhys puts a human face to that achievement, and I’m thrilled he has a big career ahead of him”, Dr Mulino said.
“Apprentices and trainees are vital to Australia’s economic growth and prosperity. By improving the quality and completion rates for people undertaking apprenticeships, we can ensure that more Australians have an opportunity to retrain and upskill for the future economy.”
MEGT chief executive Matthew Hick thanked representatives from Current Group Pty Ltd, who provided Rhys with his apprenticeship opportunity as a teenager. MEGT has helped Current Group engage a total of 64 apprentices in recent years.
“An apprenticeship completion pays tribute to both the hard work of the apprentice themselves and a supportive employer. Through our signup and mentoring services, MEGT is thrilled to have been part of Rhys’ journey as well”, Mr Hick said.
“We’re fortunate to see great stories like this every day, and every day it becomes more obvious that apprentices and trainees are the key to ensuring we can meet skills shortfalls in a multitude of industries”.
MEGT also provides Workforce Australia services in the western Melbourne employment region, helping disadvantaged job seekers get the training and specialist support they need to continue their journey towards employment.