Federal budget 2022: Apprenticeship subsidy extended

Among the announcements in Tuesday night's budget was a confirmation that the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements program would continue until the end of the financial year.

Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements provides employers an up to 50 percent wage subsidy for taking on new apprentices.

Following the program's extension date of June 30, the program will be 'streamlined' under a $2.4 billion incentive scheme designed to target in-demand industries.

Skillinvest chief executive Darren Webster said the program, and others like it were invaluable for attracting and retaining apprenticeships in the Wimmera.

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"This has probably been the biggest incentive for employers to take on or reengage an apprentice for many years," he said.

"The numbers have proven that apprenticeships have grown substantially over the past 15 months thanks to the program."

The complementary Completing Apprenticeships Commencements scheme, which subsidizes employers for second and third-year apprentices, will also be extended until June 30.

Following the date, the government plans to transition to a new 'priority focussed' apprentice subsidy program, called the Australian Apprenticeship Incentives System.

Mr Webster said while details on the new incentive system were scant, he was pleased with the renewed focus on apprentices in the budget.

"The new streamlined incentive system will focus a bit more on the upskilling of apprentices," he said.

"That will be a benefit because often some of our apprenticeship systems are quite old and they may not always relate to changes in the industry. This will assist to make sure that some of those changes can be adapted and funded during the course of apprentices' training."

It was hoped the new incentives introduced in the budget would assist the shortage of apprentices and crucial trades in the region.

Mr Webster said unlike Melbourne, the Wimmera was struggling to fill job vacancies.

"There are a number of employers in our region who are suffering from that skill shortage. It is great that the government is providing that incentive.

"For the Wimmera, our challenge is to ensure our employers continue to invest in young people, but also just the physical numbers of young people that are around.

"We could employ many more apprentices in our organisation if we had more people available to go into those roles.

"It is not only about having those roles become attractive for people to move into them, it is about having the people to fill the vacancies as well. That is certainly a challenge for our employers, not only in the Wimmera but nationally as well."

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