WINTER NEWSLETTER 2010

It’s a bit of a conundrum living in Cairns and trying to imagine being cold, having heaters on, wrapping up in coats or even skiing in snow! We are still swimming here, fans on and still wearing short sleeves and shorts! Yes, rubbing it in to all the Southerners.

Can you also believe that the year is half over already, it only seems like yesterday that it was Christmas, let alone the new millennium?

TAX TIME

DEDUCTIONS

Did you know that training related to your work or business is tax deductable?

Yes, now is the perfect time to invest in a new qualification and possible new career path.

These deductions can also cover computer and internet usage, so check out the Australian Taxation Offices “Self-education eligibility decision tool” to see if your expenses fall under this tax break.

ATO LINK

NEWS

NATIONAL VET REFORMS FUNDED

The Australian Government will invest $243 million over the next four years to transform Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system.

The funding will provide more Australians with greater access to high-level qualifications to advance their own careers and help strengthen the economy.

These reforms will provide employers with more confidence in the skills and qualifications of their employees, regardless of where they have been trained in Australia.

Employees will also be able to invest in their own education and training with an assurance about the quality and transferability of their qualifications.

The reforms include:

• An expansion of income contingent loans through the VET FEE-HELP program to help Australians to gain higher level technical and trade skills;
• A Quality Skills Incentive scheme to lift the standards and performance of Australia's largest vocational education providers, including TAFEs;
• The establishment and operation of the new National Vocational Education Regulator and Standards Council; and
• A MySkills website linked to the new national regulator to provide greater transparency and robust comparable information for people when selecting a provider

What does this mean to you? More support to undertake training in your preferred career pathway and confidence in knowing your qualification and training is to a national standard.

NEW COURSES

Diploma of Management

We are currently applying for the Diploma of Management to be added to our scope, so we will keep you in the loop on how this is going, or simply check out our website. Our website also identifies any specials we may have from time to time.

Certificate IV in Business

We have also added customer service or risk management elective streams to the Certificate IV in Business. This allows you to select which stream best suits your preferred career pathway.

Do you know that if you have completed the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, you can possibly RPL 5 units towards the Certificate IV in Business? Now that is a FAST TRACK.