New incentives effective 1 July will help address skills shortages in critical industries and support more people to take up apprenticeships.
Employers and the new apprentices they hire, in ten national skills shortage occupations, may be eligible for the Additional Identified Skills Shortage (AISS) Payment.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Michaelia Cash said the AISS will help create and support up to 80,000 new apprenticeships over five years.
"The AISS will deliver up to $4,000 in support to eligible employers and $2,000 to new apprentices," Minister Cash said.
"The Government's new incentive targets occupations with critical skills shortages, including carpenters and joiners, plumbers, hairdressers, bakers and pastry cooks, wall and floor tilers, and arborists."
"The AISS is an important part of the Australian Government's $525 million package Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow, an investment that will upgrade and modernise Australia's VET sector and encourage more people to pursue a career in the skilled workforce."
The full eligibility requirements and a list of occupations eligible for the AISS can be accessed through Australian Apprenticeship Support Network providers.
Minister Cash said applications for phase two of the Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy trial also opened from 1 July.
The trial provides support to employers in the first three years of an Australian Apprenticeship, offering 75 per cent of the first year award wage, 50 per cent for the second year award wage and 25 per cent for the third year award wage.
"Businesses in rural and regional communities that employ an additional Australian Apprentice from 1 July, undertaking a full-time Certificate III or IV qualification which leads to a National Skills Needs Listed occupation, may now be eligible to apply," Minister Cash said.
"We are also lowering the age for eligibility for the Support for Adult Australian Apprentices incentive from 25 to 21 years for apprentices commencing from 1 July.
"This change will give employers more support when they seek to engage adult apprentices in areas of identified skills need."
Minister Cash said that, under the program, an incentive payment of $4,000 is available to eligible employers of an adult Australian Apprentice once the apprentice has successfully completed 12 months of training.
