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THOUSANDS OF APPRENTICES GAIN NEW BENEFITS

4 September 2007

Thousands more Australians have today become eligible for a wide range of incentives to encourage the take up of apprenticeships in areas of skills shortages.

Backdated to 1 July 2007, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Binders and Finishers, Butchers, Flat Glass Trades, Furniture Finishers, Locksmiths, Optical Mechanics, Painters and Decorators, Picture Framers, Printing Machinists, Screen Printers, Shearers, Signwriters, Tree Surgeons, Vehicle Trimmers and Wood Machinists, will now join 38 trades previously eligible to access a range of Australian Government apprenticeship incentives including:

• $2,000 Apprenticeship Wage Top-Up;
• $1,000 Apprenticeship Training (FEE) Vouchers;
• $800 Tool Kit;
• $13,000 Wage Subsidy for Apprentices over 30 yrs;
• $1,000 Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarship; and
• $1,000 Rural and Regional Skills Shortage Employer Incentives.

This $57.5 million boost is part of a new National Skills Needs List (NSNL) announced today by the Federal Minister for Vocational and Further Education, the Hon Andrew Robb AO MP.

“The creation of this new list means that we can support more people to take on an Australian Apprenticeship in areas that are crying out for workers,” Mr Robb said.

“Nearly 300,000 apprentices across those 55 trades will benefit from these incentives over the next four years."

The National Skills Needs List replaces the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) for determining the eligibility of employers and their Australian Apprentices for a range of Australian Government incentives.

“The MODL, whilst valuable in targeting the skilled migration intake to meet short to medium term demand for skilled labour, reflects a ‘point in time’ snapshot. The new National Skills Needs List has been developed to take into consideration cyclical fluctuations and will better reflect the long term needs of the Australian labour market,” Mr Robb said.

“The Australian Government has funded a range of incentives to help address Australia’s skills shortage, and will increase the Government’s commitment to skills training to $2.9 billion a year.”

Over the last four years, 544,000 Australians have completed apprenticeships. This compares with 30,900 completions in 1996 when Labor was last in office. Today’s announcement will build on the achievements of recent years.

For more information on the NSNL and the range of Government incentives contact the Australian Apprenticeships referral line on 13 38 73.


Media Contacts:
Minister Robb’s Office: Andrew Coombe 0438 777 145

55 Trades now on new National Skills Needs List

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