Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, there are 140,000 fewer apprentices than there were in 2013, and no wonder, when $3 billion has been cut from VET funding in that period. This puts standards and safety at risk, reduces job opportunities and increases labour shortages. TAFEs in particular are in dire straits. For example, a second-year trade apprentice at TasTAFE has not been offered any online learning for a core subject during the pandemic and has had to make do with a single 30-minute phone call with his teacher. Prime Minister, what are you going to do about this? When will the government give vocational training the priority this country needs now more than ever?

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