As Victoria emerges from COVID-19 and business confidence returns, there has never been a better time to take on an apprentice or trainee - a crucial pathway to kickstart our economy post-pandemic and secure talent for Victoria’s future workforce.

One cyber security incident is reported every eight minutes, according to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), underscoring the urgency for businesses to protect themselves online.

Hindsight is a funny thing. Had we known the COVID-19 wrecking ball was coming for us, we would have ducked for cover. We can’t use that excuse anymore.

Research by Victorian Chamber members Swinburne University of Technology and Readiness, concludes business leaders need to ‘lift their game’ when it comes to psychological wellbeing in the workplace.

Thousands of businesses providing educational experiences for Victorian schoolchildren will be given a boost under the Victorian Government’s $112.9 million Positive Start in 2022 initiative. The funding, announced by Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Education James Merlino, aims to get children back enjoying the experiences they missed out on during Victoria’s lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.

On 1 July this year, WorkSafe Victoria introduced provisional payments to provide better support for workers with a mental injury. Eligible workers and volunteers who submit a mental injury claim can now access provisional payments for reasonable treatment and services while their claim is being determined.

For 23 years, the Australian Government has contracted the Victorian Chamber to deliver a suite of services and support through the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) at no cost to employers and individuals across Victoria.

Regulations that previously required WorkSafe to be notified if an employee, contractor or a contractor's employee received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and had attended the workplace within their infectious period have been removed.

In partnership with Crown Melbourne, the Victorian Chamber is running free online seminars designed to help regional businesses bounce back after consecutive lockdowns and sparse tourism.

As 2022 progresses and the COVID-19 pandemic remains part of our lives, there has never been a better time to look after the mental health of your apprentices. Free training for managers and apprentices is available through the Victorian Chamber’s partnership with EML.

Amid the recent return-to-office announcement, there is no better time to foster a resilient workplace through the Victorian Chamber’s extensive catalogue of training courses, that are now returning to an in-person format.

If you employ labour hire workers in your business, upcoming changes to the OHS Act 2004 will require you to regard them as your own employees for safety purposes.

Belle Lim was an international student in Victoria and had just graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences when, looking to the future, she found it hard to form industry connections and seek role models to relate to. From this, Future Female was born.

We have all heard the phrase: ‘The standard you walk past is the standard you set’. But how many of us understand how to interrupt behaviors that are unsafe or that we simply need to question without causing offence?

Quality safety professionals are hard to find. At the Victorian Chamber’s Health Safety and Wellbeing team, we understand the challenges involved when advising our members and clients on what to look for.

Faced with another year of business uncertainty due to COVID-19 and global events, one aspect of your business you can control is workplace safety. Where does it fit into your thinking and planning for 2022 and beyond? Here are our five best-practice safety tools to consider.