MORE SUPPORT FOR APPRENTICES
The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP said today that Australian Apprentices and their employers in the electorate of Berowra will be able to access additional assistance worth thousands of dollars under an extension of the Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarship, and opening up of the Employer Incentives Program and Living Away from Home Allowance.
“Local businesses in my electorate will greatly benefit from these changes,” Mr Ruddock said.
“Businesses play a vital role in training Australian Apprentices and these changes will enable more employers to access the range of financial assistance provided by the Australian Government.”
Australian Apprentices will also benefit, with more apprentices able to get the $1,000 tax-free Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarship and Living Away From Home Allowance.
“These changes support young people to stay in our community and contribute to [electorate]’s future growth and prosperity through completing an apprenticeship,” Philip Ruddock added.
The additional assistance includes:
- ensuring access to the $1,000 tax-free Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarship to apprentices who complete their apprenticeship before the end of their first or second year;
- opening up the Incentives Programme to employers of apprentices with prior qualifications who are training in an area of skills shortage, including incentives of up to $4,000 in commencement and completion payments;
- introducing six new intermediate building and construction qualifications that will attract incentives for employers under the Incentives Programme; and
- extending Living Away From Home Allowance to Australian School-based Apprentices.
“The Howard Government’s record on training Australia’s workforce speaks for itself and
in 1996, when Labor last held government, only 30,920 people completed an apprenticeship. This compares with a massive 544,000 completions over the past four years.
“This year alone we have committed a record $2.9 billion to skilling Australia. Labor has no effective plan - all Labor has to offer is a lathe or a microwave at the back of a classroom.”
The new measures will commence on 1 January 2008.