In extraordinary times, the Government has gone to extraordinary lengths to support trade apprenticeships. The subsidies and incentives are unlike anything that have gone before, and the long-term effects on the building industry could be transformational. To keep apprentices on the job in the immediate aftermath of Covid lockdown, there is now a subsidy for employers of every building apprentice in the country. The idea is to ensure continuing employment and training, and to cushion the effects of any potential downturn in activity. The subsidy also applies to builders employing new apprentices, encouraging companies to take on more of them and expand the pool of builders in the workforce.
Apprentice subsidy: As an employer, you can claim the subsidy for any apprentice who works for you. The maximum is
$12,000 for 12 months for each first-year apprentice, and then reduces to $4000 for a further 8 months for an apprentice in their second year. The amount of the subsidy will vary depending on how long an apprentice has been training with you. If an apprentice changes from one company to another, the subsidy goes with them. The scheme started August 1. Free fees: Only a third of new apprentices in building and construction qualified for free fees under the old system. From July 1, that changed. Now, fees for all apprentices are abolished, a saving of up to $1750 in the first year and about $800 in subsequent years.
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APPRENTICES
Apprentice incentives could transform industry
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