Restoring and Reinvigorating the Apprenticeship Sector 2021

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Across Australia, the numbers of apprentices and trainees collapsed at the height of the COVID-induced recession, and numbers have only just begun to recover.

The group training network felt the full brunt of the decline, with hundreds of apprentices and trainees in Western Australia being handed back by host businesses. Group Training Organisations (GTO) maintained apprentices and trainees, paid their wages and entitlements and have placed almost all back into work.

However, the longer-term impacts of the economic decline are yet to play out. For the apprenticeship sector to remain strong and serve as a generator of skilled employment, there will need to be strong government intervention and support.

AEN WA is calling on the major political parties at the state election to commit to policies and programs that will support the apprenticeship sector and specifically recognise the work of group training during the pandemic and its place in helping to rebuild businesses and skilled employment during the recovery.

New Program to Boost Mature Age Apprenticeships

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Apprentice employers today welcomed the West Australian government’s unveiling of a pilot program to help take on mature-age apprentices and trainees in the building and construction industry.

The pilot, announced by Premier Mark McGowan and Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery, will see financial support provided for employers of mature-age apprentices in order to offset higher wage costs.
The government also committed, if re-elected, to funding the ‘gap’ in total wage costs between mature age and junior apprentices for 200 additional apprentices, in a pledge worth $5.2 million.

Stuart Diepeveen, Chairman of the Apprentice Employment Network WA (AEN WA) welcomed the initiatives, saying they would help address a key issue of importance to many employers who want to engage more mature age apprentices and trainees.

“We are seeing many more mature age people wanting to embark on apprenticeships and traineeships, but they face the hurdle of higher wage costs which can serve as a disincentive.
“The COVID pandemic has caused many to re-think their career choices and has seen a lot of interest in apprenticeships and traineeships from older workers.

“We need to look at everything we can to give mature age workers a chance to take up an apprenticeship or traineeship, because they frequently bring added life experience, skills and knowledge, which is a real advantage to their employers,” Mr Diepeveen said.

2020 Awards Of Excellence Winners Announced

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The Apprentice Employment Network WA Inc (AEN WA), congratulates the winners of the 2020 Awards of Excellence.

The Awards of Excellence recognise and promote the outstanding achievements of apprentices and trainees employed by our member Group Training Organisations operating in Western Australia and the host employers who support them.

Chairman, Stuart Diepeveen said, “This year, despite the impact of COVID-19, the AEN WA was very privileged to celebrate the very best of our apprentices and trainees and our host employers, in person. The quality of the nominations received demonstrates not only the commitment of the young adults to their training, but the support and pastoral care received from their Group Training and host employers, that enables them to succeed in their careers.”

The evening was celebrated by 150 people, consisting of finalists, family and friends, industry representatives, State and Australian Government Members of Parliament and State Government members. The Hon Sue Ellery MLC, Minister for Education and Training in WA and the Hon Steve Irons MP, Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training, and Apprenticeships, along with our sponsors, presented finalists with their certificates and winners with their trophy and prize money.

Special thanks once again goes to our platinum event sponsor, AustralianSuper, for their ongoing commitment and support to our Awards of Excellence annual event and our award sponsors: AMA Training Services; Warrikal; and Apprenticeship Support Australia, without whom these events could not be presented.

Apprentice employers welcome PM’s $2bn JobTrainer package

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Australia’s largest network of employers of apprentices and trainees today welcomed the federal government’s $2 billion package of support for apprentices, trainees and skills development.
The National Apprentice Employment Network (NAEN) said the JobTrainer package will substantially widen the existing support measures to thousands of additional apprentices and trainees, and help save jobs.
The Chief Executive Officer of NAEN Dianne Dayhew said JobTrainer will help avoid the ‘cliff’ that many businesses expect to face when existing payments end in September.
“The critical thing is that it extends the current wage subsidy for apprentices from small firms to larger businesses with up to 200 employees, so it really gives support to a lot of firms that might struggle to retain their apprentices.
“It will provide much-needed support and confidence to many businesses that will be wondering what happens when the current measures end.
“This provides an added six months of assistance. It will help them avoid the September cliff and hopefully see them through until the economy starts to pick up,” Ms Dayhew said.
“This will be most welcome for apprentices because it safeguards their jobs and helps avoid being laid off or being forced to give up their apprenticeships entirely.”
Ms Dayhew said the apprenticeship system is experiencing one of its most challenging times with numbers in decline and many businesses struggling to retain their existing employees.
“It’s also a difficult time for apprentices and trainees who have been laid off and are struggling to find work.”
NAEN represents the country’s group training organisations that employ some 22,000 apprentices and trainees and places them with host businesses. Approximately 5,000 apprentices and trainees have been placed in ‘hibernation’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

National register will connect apprentices and trainees with employers to safeguard jobs and careers

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Apprentices and trainees from small businesses who recently lost their jobs are now able to connect with prospective employers to explore ongoing work, through a new national service launched today.

The Apprentice and Trainee Re-engagement Register will support apprentices and trainees displaced as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, by connecting them with a network of employers across the country.

The register enables apprentices and trainees who were in a training contract with a small business at March 1 to upload details such as qualifications, work experience and resumes.

Employers of any size, including Group Training Organisations, are able to register their details and post a vacancy for an apprentice or trainee.

Employers who re-engage apprentices or trainees displaced from a small business may be eligible for a wage subsidy of 50 per cent of the apprentice’s or trainee’s wage, under the government’s Supporting Apprentices and Trainees initiative.

The register is hosted by the National Apprentice Employment Network (NAEN) and supported by the Australian Government, as part of the economic response to the coronavirus.

The Chief Executive Officer of NAEN Dianne Dayhew said the register will be a critical support measure for many apprentices, trainees and employers impacted by business shutdowns.

“This will give apprentices and trainees a chance to retain their skills and safeguard their livelihoods by gaining access to businesses where they can  have a fresh start and be reemployed.

“For employers, it is a great opportunity to engage an apprentice or trainee who comes with existing training and employment experience under their belt,” Ms Dayhew said.

“It has been a challenging start to 2020, but I think all employers recognise that conditions will bounce back and skilled employees will be in demand.

Government’s apprentice support initiative provides a much-needed lift for small business

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The National Apprentice Employment Network (NAEN) has today welcomed the federal government’s decision to introduce strong measures to assist small businesses to retain apprentices in the face of unsettling economic conditions.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced an apprentice wage subsidy payment that will assist small businesses to keep their existing apprentices and trainees in work.

The Chief Executive Officer of NAEN Dianne Dayhew said the apprentice support payments will provide a much-needed injection of funding for small business employers to help retain their apprentices that might otherwise become unemployed.

“The government is to be commended for this support. It is important to recognise the investment that goes into hiring and developing apprentices, and it’s equally important to ensure that investment is not lost,” Ms Dayhew said.

The initiative will assist some 120,000 apprentices and trainees to remain in their jobs through a subsidy paid to the employer, equal to 50 per cent of the apprentice or trainee’s wage and worth up to $7000 per quarter.

The measure, worth about $1.3 billion will apply to existing apprentices and trainees employed by businesses with fewer than 20 employees, backdated to 1 January and extending to 30 September 2020.

“The start of 2020 has been a difficult time for many small businesses impacted by drought, bushfires and now coronavirus, so the latest stimulus measures are a very welcome step in helping them stay afloat.”

Group training organisations (GTOs) employ some 30,000 apprentices and trainees across Australia and the feedback from individual GTOs is that the start of 2020 has been relatively flat for apprentice commencements.

Most small businesses with apprentices understand that conditions will bounce back, but there could be a difficult few months ahead and, without assistance, apprentices could well be displaced.