The programs - finance@work and Axiss Scholar Programme - are the initiative of Axiss Australia, the Federal Government agency established to position Australia as a global financial services centre.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Senator Ian Campbell, will launch the programs in Perth next Monday, 30 June 2003.
Although trialled in New South Wales, the Perth launch marks the official debut of the high school targeted finance@work. The Axiss Scholar Programme has been successfully run since 2001, providing work experience for 55 university students and generating over $560,000 in scholarship funds. Western Australia's Edith Cowan University, Curtin University of Technology and the University of Western Australia will be participating in 2004.
The launch aims to entice students and sponsors, such as banks, brokers, funds managers, regulators and professional services firms, to participate.
Background
finance@work is a workplace learning and financial literacy program that gives students in years 11 and 12 the opportunity of spending a minimum of one-week in a financial services organisation to undertake structured tasks focused on work skills, money management and career planning. finance@work has been developed in conjunction with the Enterprise and Career Education Foundation.
The Axiss Scholar Programme matches exceptional finance students in the final year of an under- or postgraduate university course with a sponsoring organisation for 10 to 14 weeks full-time work placement. Students receive a stipend (of up to $10,000) and on-the-job training, while sponsoring firms assess the students' future employability.
Both programs strengthen the partnership between education and industry, and serve to develop Australia's primary attraction as a financial services centre to global firms - the high skill level of the domestic workforce. The attractiveness of Australia's workforce distinguishes it from other centres in the Asia-Pacific and gives it a powerful advantage in the provision of financial services for the region.
More information about the programs can be found at:
www.axiss.com.au/content/attractions/people/finance_work.asp
