The Howard Government should introduce a $2,000 Trade Completion Bonus for Canberra’s traditional apprentices in the upcoming Federal Budget.
A Trade Completion Bonus is something the Howard Government can do immediately to help businesses in the ACT and surrounding region to get the skilled workers they need.
Skill shortages have ravaged ACT industries with traditional trades crying out for skilled workers from boiler makers, fitters, welders and motor mechanics to hairdressers, bakers and chefs.
The deficit of skilled tradespeople in key areas is directly affecting small and large business in the ACT. Businesses are just not able to meet their demand with the tradespeople they have.
More traditional apprentices in the ACT must complete their training if we are to fix local skill shortages.
Around Australia a staggering 40 per cent of people who commence a New Apprenticeship do not finish.
This could mean that in the ACT, of the 1000 people who commence an apprenticeship in the trades each year, around 400 are dropping out.
Under Labor’s proposal, traditional apprentices in the trades in the ACT would receive a $1,000 payment half way through their training and a further $1,000 payment at the completion of their apprenticeship.
A Trade Completion Bonus should aim to lift completion rates in the ACT from around 60 per cent to 80 per cent delivering more trained apprentices for Canberra’s workplaces.
Apprentices eligible for the Trade Completion Bonus could include:
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General & Off-site Construction |
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Automotive Service and Repair |
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Automotive Manufacturing |
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Metals and Engineering |
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Electrotechnology |
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Baking |
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Hairdressing |
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Transmission and Distribution |
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Commercial Cookery |
The Howard Government’s response to the skills crisis has been to over-rely on an imported skills quick fix.
Labor’s position is clear: train Australians first and train Australians now.
Contact: Taryn Langdon 0417 148 059 or 02 6277 3334
