We all remember the great words of Martin Luther King: “I have a dream…….” That dream came true when the USA government enacted laws to bring in desegregation. Now we live in a time where another dream should be taken hold of. This dream was spoken of by Rabbi Judah Magnes in 1948, when he was president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He presented his idea to the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine. Magnes proposed a binational state in which all citizens would enjoy equal rights, regardless of demographic majority or minority status. According to his plan, Jews and Arabs would each have their own separate ‘national committees’ overseen by a supreme governing council. In his vision of the shared state, Magnes emphasized that each community would maintain its religious practices, customs and cultural values, including their respective educational and legal systems. Magnes envisaged it as akin to a federation of two states without territorial boundaries. Magnes also warned against the impracticality and consequences of one group dominating the other, foreseeing conflicts, unrest and rebellions. While much has changed since 1948, could parts of Magnes’ dream be revived, especially now that the idea of two states is becoming less and less likely, with Israel’s gradual taking over of the Westbank through its settlements? John van Riet, Wangaratta Financial benefits of a tradie career Analysis by the Housing Industry Association (HIA) shows that there can be immediate financial benefits for young people taking up a trade in comparison to tertiary education. Workforce shortages remain one of the biggest constraints on increasing home building activity. With the national focus on addressing Australia’s chronic housing shortages, demand for qualified trades is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. There are also the added benefits for apprentices of being paid to train, along with access to fee-free TAFE. This is a significant benefit to young people who are not then burdened by a HECS debt when they have completed their qualification. Publicly available data shows that the typical period of study and expected market wage of an accountant and carpenter are similar, but when considering wages and cost to study there is a discrepancy of at least $50,000 in favour of the trade while training. The construction industry also has a shortage of professionals in essential tertiary-qualified roles that must be filled. However, the reality is there are many other degrees that do not offer the immediate pathway into well-paying employment that a construction trade offers. Career flexibility and opportunities for advancement post becoming a qualified tradesperson are limitless. Many tradespeople use their apprenticeship to progress their career into other related roles in their industry - today’s apprentices are tomorrow’s carpenters, builders and project managers. When armed with a trade qualification an individual earning potential can be equal to or greater than some positions requiring university degrees. A secure future is also another important benefit, with a pipeline of work for years to come and an exposure to job losses related to AI far less likely than many white-collar jobs. Mike Hermon, HIA executive director future workforce
