Patron - Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
GTA is the national peak body representing the network of over 150 Group Training Organisations (GTOs) employing over
40,000 apprentices and trainees throughout Australia.
16 October 2009
$100m apprentice employment incentive a timely and
targeted boost
Group Training Australia (GTA), the single largest network employing over 40,000
apprentices and trainees,
today welcomed the
announcement by the Deputy Prime
Minister, Julia Gillard, and the Minister for Employment Participation, Senator Mark Arbib,
of $100
million to help stimulate demand for apprentice employment over the peak
recruitment period.
GTA Chief Executive Officer, Jim Barron, said the package will provide important up-front
funding to employers to help them take on and retain apprentices at a time of difficult
economic conditions for many in the traditional trades.
“We wholeheartedly support these measures which come at the critical recruitment period
when young people and employers are considering options for apprenticeships.
“The funding will help to ensure that more young people are able to gain and complete
their apprenticeship and help build capacity in much-needed skills. It will assist employers
by providing an up-front payment as well as a progress payment in the course of the
apprenticeship,” he said.
Mr Barron said that recent better-than-expected employment figures mask the difficult
environment for
many in
the trades sector where apprentice commencements are down
some 22 per cent in the year to March 2009. This is a timely and targeted intervention that
will not only help young people gain skills during the downturn, but also assist employers
with the financial hurdle that many face in taking on and retaining apprentices.
“It builds on the Securing Apprenticeships initiative which was announced earlier this year
which provided some $145 million to encourage employers to take on apprentices and
trainees who have been laid off.”
GTA also welcomed the second element of the package –
a $20 million boost in pre-
apprenticeship funding to assist in preparing
young people for the transition into a full
apprenticeship.
Pre-vocational training is a key component of long term success in apprenticeship take-up
and completion. This additional funding complements the already successful Group
Training in the Trades Program (GTTP) which recently received ongoing funding in the
2009-10 budget. GTA warmly welcomes this additional boost which will help build on this
successful program.
Media Contact:
Bob Bowden, Foresight Communications
02 9241 2811, 0412 753 298, bbowden@bowmac.com.au
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