From today (July 1), thousands of Western Australian employers will benefit from the new Jobs and Skills WA Employer Incentive.
The incentive will support a wider range of WA employers with the costs of employing an apprentice or new entrant trainee.
The scheme will be funded through the redirection of payroll tax, to remove the remaining payroll tax exemption for trainees. The payroll tax exemption for apprentices will be retained.
Employers that have lodged a training contract for registration on or after July 1, 2019, will receive a base payment of up to $8,500 for employing an apprentice or new entrant trainee.
Additional loadings will increase the payment for regional areas, employees with disability, priority occupations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, and apprentices aged between 21 to 30 years. It is estimated this scheme will extend State Government support to nearly 6,000 businesses.
The aim is to increase apprenticeship and traineeship commencements, which will contribute to the State Government's target of 150,000 additional jobs in WA by 2023-24.
The Jobs and Skills WA Employer Incentive is an initiative under the National Partnership on the Skilling Australians Fund, which also includes an enterprise training program and a pre-traineeship program aimed at the Social Assistance and Allied Health sector.
Further information about the Jobs and Skills WA Employer Incentive is available at http://www.jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/employerincentive
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"We are proud to introduce the Jobs and Skills WA Employer Incentive today as it will support real training for real jobs.
"This incentive will help the State create thousands of new opportunities for apprentices and trainees while ensuring we are ahead of the game when it comes to skilling Western Australians."
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
"The Jobs and Skills WA Employer Incentive will give more young people the opportunity to become an apprentice or trainee and gain the skills and experience they need to perform highly specialised, technical and complex jobs.
"The incentive will provide employers with the trained staff they require to run and grow their businesses, boosting WA's economy."
