May 2010     The second stage of the Apprentice Kickstart campaign has begun, with almost $80 million in the Budget to employ 22,500 more teenage apprentices across the nation.

Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard and Minister for Employment Participation, Mark Arbib urged small businesses to take advantage of the bonus which more than triples the commencement bonus for young apprentices from $1,500 to $4,850.

Not only will this measure help small businesses to take on an apprentice, but it will also make it easier for young people to get a start in the trades.

The initial Kickstart initiative exceeded expectations, with about 24,400 young people given an apprenticeship in the traditional trades over summer.

“For those young people who are unemployed, this gives them an opportunity not just to get a job, but for a career in the trades. We are going to need these plumbers, electricians, welders and boiler-makers to meet the challenge of a growing economy.”

Ms Gillard said it was encouraging to see so many businesses hiring young people.

On top of the Kickstart initiative, the Government’s four-year skills package will deliver:

• up to 39,000 additional training places in sectors facing high skills demands through a $200 million investment in a new Critical Skills Investment fund,
• an offer to the States and Territories to provide a guaranteed entitlement to a training place for all Australians under the age of 25 years to ensure young people have every opportunity gain a qualification,
• Numeracy, literacy and language courses for up to 140,000 Australians to improve their quality of life, career prospects and productivity, and
• Better training for the 1.7 million Australians studying in the vocational training system.

From a media release by the Minister for Education and the Minister for Employment Participation, May 12, 2010

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