Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

In addition to the measure of the supporting apprentices and trainees subsidy to keep them on the job, as a government we understand we now need to encourage new commencements to occur to ensure that pipeline of skilled workers. In doing that, we have now invested in a $1.2 billion boosting apprenticeship commencement wage subsidy. This will create around 100,000 new training opportunities for Australians across Australia. What we've done is we've said to employers of any size, in any industry, in any location in Australia they are able to access the wage subsidy to sign up new apprentices and trainees. The wage subsidy is a substantial wages subsidy; it is 50 per cent of the apprentice's wage, flowing through until 30 September next year. We will ensure that apprentices and trainees are kept on the job but also that new apprentices and trainees come into the pipeline. (Time expired)