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The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today welcomed the decision by State and Territory Ministers to endorse a new National Green Skills Agreement at today’s meeting of the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE) in Canberra.

The agreement will give businesses and individuals a valuable opportunity to contribute to a sustainable, low-carbon economy in their workplaces and communities.

MCTEE has recommended the agreement to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) for consideration at its meeting in Brisbane on 7 December 2009.

The agreement is an important milestone on the road to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.

It is a statement of the commitment of the Australian and State and Territory Governments to work together with training organisations and business to ensure that skills for sustainability are an integral part of all vocational education and training and are relevant to the needs of industry.

This commitment will be achieved by:

• embedding green skills in vocational education and training, within the requirements of the national regulatory framework
• upgrading the skills of VET instructors and teachers to deliver green skills 
• a review of training packages to embed green skills, knowledge and principles 
• implementing a transition strategy to teach vulnerable workers new skills

The Australian Government will work closely with States and Territories and will continue to work closely with training organisations to implement the agreement in 2010.

In early-2010, a National Action Group will be convened, with a view to developing a National Green Skills Action Plan by June 2010. This action plan will present a consolidated, forward-looking framework for the training sector, business and the community as Australia moves towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.

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