Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Hansard source

There's $1.5 billion in wage subsidies to help keep apprentices in jobs and to help the businesses that employ them to remain operational through the impacts of COVID-19.

The other component of JobTrainer is a $500 million co-contribution to the $1 billion JobTrainer Fund. This is a partnership, with matched funding from the states and territories, to create up to 340,700 extra training places that are free or at a low fee. These training places are in areas of identified skills need and they're for Australians who are looking for jobs, including our school leavers, who will graduate just next month. The participating states and territories help determine the priority areas through the National Skills Commission so that training can be focused on in-demand employment areas. This is about delivering the skilled workers that our businesses need now for the recovery.

So far, every state and territory in the country except Victoria has signed up to the JobTrainer Fund. These extra training places are already available in several states. We are continuing to work with Victoria and we do hope that they sign up. I encourage the Victorian government to take advantage of the opportunities that the JobTrainer Fund provides to them so that they are in a better position to recover quickly. Victoria is a great state. It has been absolutely heartbreaking to see what they have had to endure for the past couple of months, and our hearts clearly go out to the Victorians, but I want to say to the people in Victoria: the Commonwealth government is here to support you. We are ready, willing and able to provide an additional $130 million, through the JobTrainer Fund, for around 50,000 training places in both full qualifications and short courses.

Mr Hill interjecting—

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