The Australian Government is providing additional assistance to mature age workers with a $11.6 million investment to extend the Skills and Training Incentive for eligible mature aged Australians.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said extending the Incentives program to 30 June 2022 is part of the Government's commitment to ensure mature aged people, particularly those impacted by COVID-19, have better options to remain in the workforce longer.
"The Morrison Government recognises the experience and knowledge that comes with mature aged workers," Minister Cash said.
"Mature aged people will play a key part in Australia's skills led recovery from COVID-19 because they possess a lifetime of skills that can be redeployed or built upon to transfer to new work and careers.
The Skills and Training Incentive provides individuals aged 45-70, who have completed a tailored Skills Checkpoint assessment, with funding of up to $2,200 to invest in training linked to their current job, a future opportunity, or an industry/skill in demand.
The Skills and Training Incentive aims to encourage ongoing investment in the skills development of older Australians. The individual, or their employer, will be required to co-contribute to the cost of training, which can be either accredited or non-accredited training.
The additional investment in the Skills and Training Incentive will provide up to 5,400 Incentives for eligible mature aged Australians. This builds on the $19.3 million allocated as part of the 2018-19 Federal Budget's More Choices for a Longer Life package, which funded the initial allocation of Incentives.
