Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have a real-life positive story to relay to the House. There is no greater investment that we as a government can make than an investment in our young people. It's an investment that is guaranteed to pay off in spades, and I say 'in spades' because I'm talking about tradies. We love tradies. I am pleased to see the continued increases in the investment from this government in recent years into the practical education of our up-and-coming young people and leaders. The $6.4 billion in skills and training funding alongside billions in wage supports have ensured that Australia is well-placed to recover from COVID-19 and to secure our future. These recent measures and incentives for businesses have meant that there were over 217,000 Aussies in trade apprenticeships in July of this year. My nephew is one of them. He's doing an electrical trade and he's very good, so when he's done, I will get him to come and rewire my house for free. That number, 217,000, is the highest figure since records began.

In my own electorate of Cowper, I have seen this boom in apprenticeships firsthand, with hundreds of businesses across the electorate employing 2,195 apprentices. The member for Riverina visited one in particular in his role as the Deputy Prime Minister, Faircloth & Reynolds in Coffs Harbour. They have been training local apprentices since 1985, well before the recent milestone financial incentives to business were introduced. Their own personal annual apprenticeship scheme has seen more than 300 apprentices complete their trade qualification in electrical refrigeration, air conditioning and sheet metal fabrication, with the company having a number of lifers moving through the ranks to work in management and senior positions throughout the organisation. These apprentices have received further in-company training opportunities, progressing to project managers, sales executives and estimators, taking their ground-level training and understanding of the company's physical processes to new heights. The current operations manager, service manager and even the catering manager were all once apprentices in the company. In 2022, Faircloth & Reynolds will hire a record 18 new apprentices to join the 50 already working in the company. As Geoff Stokes, the human resources manager, says of apprenticeships:

This is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages in regional areas to achieve a trade and be able to live and work in a great place like Coffs Harbour.

He is so right. You don't have to move to the city to find opportunities. They are in our regions because of the opportunities given by our government.

It's not just the larger enterprises like Faircloth & Reynolds that take up the mantle; it's also the smaller organisations that play just as much of an important role. It's the family run and family owned businesses like Lawrence Built in Port Macquarie, who have been building quality homes for locals for over 40 years and who employ up to four apprentices at a time. It's the community facilities like Crescent Head Country Club, who continually hire apprentices in all areas of their business, from greenskeepers to chefs. These are but a few examples of the many apprenticeships in my electorate taking advantage of prosperity while entering the next generation have the tools to continue with their success.

So for the young men and women across the Mid North Coast who are considering applying for an apprenticeship I implore you to do so. Grab the amazing opportunities that are popping up throughout our region now and set yourselves up for the future in your own home town. To those currently on the tools, gaining practical employment and life skills and bettering themselves not just for their own personal futures but for economic prosperity, I wish you all the best.

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