Another $2.8 billion has been added to subsidise apprentice wages in the federal budget with the apprentices themselves to also receive a $5,000 Apprentice Training Support Payment.

The measures include the introduction of a new Australian Apprenticeships Incentive Scheme, which te government says sets up a pathway that supports and develops apprentices in priority trades and moves away from a complex system with over 30 different payments for employers and apprentices.

Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business Stuart Robert said the Morrison Government was investing record funding in the skills sector, $7.8 billion this financial year alone, which is helping secure the futures of tens of thousands of skilled workers.

“The Morrison Government’s record investment in skills and training is seeing hundreds of thousands of Australians – including a record number of women trade apprentices – getting skilled and taking up jobs,” Minister Robert said.

“Our investment in Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements has seen almost 75,000 women supported to get skilled since it was launched 18 months ago.

“Australia can’t afford to lose the momentum we have created on skills. Australians know the Morrison Government stands for getting more Australians skilled and into jobs, while at the same time Labor are proposing to cut skills funding and have no plan for apprenticeships.”

Under the plan any employer who takes on an apprentice or trainee up until 30 June 2022 can gain access to:

• 50 per cent of the eligible Australian Apprentice’s wages in the first year, capped at a maximum payment value of $7,000 per quarter per Australian Apprentice,
• 10 per cent of the eligible Australian Apprentice’s wages in the second year, capped at a maximum payment value of $1,500 per quarter per Australian Apprentice, and
• 5 per cent of the eligible Australian Apprentice’s wages in the third year, capped at a maximum payment value of $750 per quarter per Australian Apprentice.

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