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How can I access Skills Checkpoint?
You should contact the Skills Checkpoint provider to discuss your eligibility and apply.
Am I eligible for Skills Checkpoint?
You can do the Skills Checkpoint if you are:
- aged 40 or over
- an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- employed and at risk of becoming unemployed and entering the income support system
or
recently unemployed (within 12 months) and
not referred to or registered with a Commonwealth funded employment services provider (e.g. Workforce Australia, Disability Employment Services, New Enterprise Incentive Scheme, Community Development Program).
What does a Skills Checkpoint assessment involve?
Participants undertake an individually tailored assessment of their skills. Your Skills Checkpoint provider then develops a Career Plan to help you identify:
- your current skills
- gaps in your skills if you want to transition to a new career or undertake a new role in your current occupation; or
- skills you could develop or enhance to increase your capacity to perform in your current role.
Where relevant, the Career Plan may also provide advice on potential new industries or roles where there may be job opportunities, and recommendations and information on appropriate training.
Your Skills Checkpoint provider can give you more information on what a Skills Checkpoint assessment involves and how it could help you.
What is the Skills and Training Incentive, and how do I access it?
The Skills and Training Incentive (the Incentive) aims to assist older Australians to invest in their training and adopt a life-long approach to skills development.
To access the Incentive you must first complete the Skills Checkpoint Program and have a Career Plan that identifies relevant education or training opportunities linked to:
- your current job
- a future job opportunity, or
- an industry or skill in demand as identified through the occupations in national shortage or with a future recruitment demand rating at or above the economy average on the Jobs and Skills Australia’s Skills Priority List.
The Government Contribution for a training course related to an occupation in national shortage or with a future recruitment demand rating at or above the economy average on the Jobs and Skills Australia’s Skills Priority List will be up to 75% of the course cost, up to a total of $2,200 (GST inclusive).
Either the Participant or their current employer must fund the balance of the training course costs.
Privacy – How will the information collected be used?
If you apply for the Skills Checkpoint Program information will be collected from you. Advice on how your information will be used is available from your Skills Checkpoint provider as part of the application process.
The personal information you provide is protected by law, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations’ (the department) Privacy Policy describes how your personal information will be managed, how you can access your personal information held by the department and how to correct your personal information where needed.
The Privacy Policy also contains information on how applicants can complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how the department will deal with such a complaint.
Complaints - how do I complain about my Skills Checkpoint provider?
In the first instance you should speak to your Skills Checkpoint provider. They have a free, easily accessible, complaints resolution process to deal fairly with complaints by participants.
Your Skills Checkpoint provider can provide you with advice on next steps if you are unhappy with their handling of a complaint.