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Preserving Skills for Tomorrow
16 Jul 2020 | Media Release
The commitment from the Federal Government to extend the 50 per cent wage subsidy for apprentices until 31 March 2021 and expand the scheme to medium sized businesses is an important step in preserving the skills we need as our economy struggles to emerge from the COVID crisis.
“In our letter to the Prime Minister in early June, we identified the need for the apprentice wage subsidy to be extended beyond its original end date of September and to expand it to embrace apprentices employed in larger businesses,” ACCI CEO James Pearson said.
“Skills investment is an essential part of the solution to our current unemployment and underemployment crisis. This latest commitment not only provides certainty, but it acknowledges the economic road out of the COVID crisis will be rocky.
“The reversal of some steps in the roadmap to reopening has rocked business confidence and stirred up more financial angst. It is therefore vital that at this difficult time we preserve skills for the future.
“We look forward to working with Government in the run up to the October Budget on appropriate incentives to encourage new apprentices and trainees as the economy recovers and there are more job opportunities available.
“Industry input on the proposed new skills agreement between the Commonwealth and State/Territory governments is key to its success. This includes how the economy can best benefit from the substantial JobTrainer investment.”