WA’s building and construction industry employers will soon receive extra support to train mature-aged workers, as part of a new $3.4 million pilot program.
The WA Government’s pilot program aims to alleviate some of the employers’ additional wage burdens in taking on mature-age apprentices or trainees.
The incentive is based on the annual wage gap in the award rate for mature-aged apprentices and those below 21-years-old, and can be utilised on top of existing Construction Training Fund grants.
Premier Mark McGowan said the program would help broaden the pool of apprentices and trainees businesses could take on as the State recovers from the economic shock of COVID-19.
“Having a pipeline of skilled workers is critical to the success of the State’s recovery post COVID-19 and our priority is to ensure Western Australians fill these roles,” he said.
“The program will help the building and construction industry diversify its workforce at a time when thousands of jobs are being created.”
ASA Manager Lena Constantine
CCIWA’s Apprenticeship Support Australia (ASA) Manager Lena Constantine said the measure was a positive step towards providing more options for employers taking on apprentices and trainees.
“The issue of mature-aged apprentices not being as financially viable to employ as younger workers has been a big issue in the construction industry, particularly for smaller sub-contractors,” she said.
“This pilot may show that levelling the wages playing field will give employers access to a greater pool of much-needed apprentices and trainees.”
Constantine added that it would be important that financial support offered through the pilot would be made easily accessible for employers “so additional administrative burden and delayed payment terms do not diminish the benefit that an employer will gain”.
The program applies to brick and block laying, carpentry and joinery, civil construction, concreting, painting and decorating, plastering, plumbing and gasfitting, roof plumbing, wall and ceiling fixing, and tiling.
150 places are available under the program, with 100 allocated to group training organisations and 50 to direct indenture employers, with a minimum participation rate of female and Indigenous apprentices or trainees.
The ASA team can help you recruit the right trainee and apprentice and source grants. Call them on 1300 363 831.
