The Federal Labor Government is providing 711,000 additional training places over the period from 2008 to 2012 under the highly successful $1.97 billion Productivity Places Program.

Already more than 80,000 people have successfully completed a qualification under this program. Over 235,000 jobseekers and existing workers have commenced new training places under PPP.

This includes more than 18,000 enrolments in Australian Apprentices with 1,500 completions so far.

This program is delivering skills that our economy needs and is getting more Australians ready for work. Close to 88 percent of the Productivity Places Program enrolments delivered through the National Partnership agreement with States and Territories are at the Certificate III level and above.

Training is all about getting the right skills for employment and a more productive, fulfilling life. The success of the program was highlighted in the Outcomes of the Productivity Places Program report released in December by the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research which reported that nearly three quarters of PPP graduates had achieved positive outcomes - employment for 47 per cent of PPP graduates with a further 26 per cent continuing on with their studies.