The Federal Government has in the past couple of days made an announcement of a further funding boost to aid the building and construction industry. It has pledged a $1.2 billion wage subsidy for apprentices.
Details of the Wage Subsidy
The newly announced wage subsidy is designed to help 100,000 school leavers find employment as tradespeople during what is hoped will be a COVID-19 recovery period. The Federal Government will subsidise half of an apprentice’s first year’s wage from 5 October, 2020 until 30 September, 2021. It is hoped that the subsidy will encourage small businesses and other employers to take on apprentices, despite the current downturn in the industry.
- Any apprentice or trainee hired from 5 October, 2020 by Group Training Organisations (GTOs) will be eligible.
- The subsidy will be open to any size business and also available to GTOs.
- The subsidy will run until 30 September 2021.
- Payments will be made quarterly in arrears.
- If employers are eligible for more than one subsidy like the Supporting Apprentices (SAT) Scheme and JobKeeper, they will need to decide which to apply for. They can’t access more than one subsidy.
“The Federal Government will subsidise half of an apprentice’s first year’s wage from 5 October, 2020 until 30 September, 2021″
Master Builders Australia Backs Government Subsidy
Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn backs the subsidy, believing it will “boost opportunities for young people and business confidence in the building and construction industry.”
Wawn concedes that confidence has been shaken by the COVID crisis, but believes the subsidy will assist businesses to take on apprentices. She says, “Our members need confidence that they can and should continue to invest in the future capacity of their businesses despite the dramatic collapse in demand that we are currently witnessing.”
Trade Institute of Victoria (TIV) Apprenticeships
With the announcement of this additional wage subsidy, now is a great time for people to lock in an apprenticeship.
TIV runs apprenticeship courses including:
Both courses are held in high esteem by both industry professionals who see the quality of apprentices TIV produces, and students themselves who are full of praise for TIV and its trainers.
So if you’re an upcoming school leaver or looking to move into the construction industry, now is a great time to enrol. Get in touch to find out more.
