Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am proud to share with the chamber that my electorate of Forde has the second largest uptake of participants for trade support loans in Australia, with the program supporting over 660 apprentices in my electorate and some 40,000 nationwide. I thank my colleague the Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, Senator Scott Ryan, for recently visiting the electorate to share the exciting news with some young apprentices at All Trades Queensland. During our visit we met with some young apprentice painters. I am very pleased to share with the chamber that, out of the four we met, three were young women. One of the young women undertaking her apprenticeship had herself just applied for a trade support loan. She shared that the trade support loan will help her to complete her apprenticeship without having to worry about the upfront costs.

The government's trade support loan program is an important commitment by the coalition government to ensure apprenticeships are equally valued as a choice for those seeking further education or training. I encourage local apprentices in need of a helping hand to apply for a trade support loan, as it is a terrific way to help them through their apprenticeship. I also thank the Prime Minister and the Minister for Employment for their announcement last week of women in construction, with many of those young ladies explaining how that apprenticeship is of tremendous benefit as well.