More apprenticeships are to be made available in Australia with the aim of addressing skill shortages in Western Australia where foreign workers are needed to plug gaps in the construction sector. A $57.5 million incentive programme aims to encourage employers to take on new apprentices to help address shortages in the industry.
Minister for Skills Chris Evans said that the national Kickstart initiative will bring an extra 21,000 construction trade apprentices into the workforce by tripling the incentives paid to employers. The scheme will see an extra $3,350 paid to employers who take on a new apprentice between now and 28 February 2013 – this is in addition to the $1,500 commencement payment for eligible employers.
Evans said this round of Kickstart was designed to boost the number of qualified workers in the construction industry, ahead of the predicted upturn in 2014 and 2015. The Western Australian building and construction industry has been warning for some time of a lack of qualified trades people which could lead to a delay in building new homes.
‘The need for skilled trades people in the housing sector will continue to grow and it is important we start training in those skills now. Kickstart is about delivering the right skills, in the right areas, at the right time,’ explained Evans.
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