The JobTrainer skills package was announced today by the Prime Minister and Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business.
This $2 billion package includes expanded funding for Supporting Apprentices and Trainees, and funding for training places in priority courses in conjunction with the states and territories.
Supporting Apprentices and Trainees Wage Subsidy
A further $1.5 billion will be available for an expended Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy, on top of the $1.3 billion previously made available.
This wage subsidy is designed to keep Australian Apprentices in work, and to support those who have lost their apprenticeship or traineeship due to COVID-19 back into work.
This expanded subsidy will now run through until March 2021, and includes medium-sized businesses. The previous subsidy was limited to small businesses.
You may be eligible for this subsidy if:
- You employer 199 people or fewer; and
- You had an apprentice or trainee prior to 1 July 2020 for medium businesses, or 1 March or 1 July 2020 for small businesses depening on the claim date.
Host employers using a Group Training Organisation, who meet other eligibility requirements are also able to receive this subsidy.
Additionally, any employer who takes on a displaced apprentice or trainee who was with an eligible small or medium-sized business, could be eligible to receive the subsidy, regardless of the business size.
Visit the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website to find out more about the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy.
To find out whether you are eligible for this subsidy, contact your local Australian Apprenticeships Support Network provider.
JobTrainer Skills Funding
The Australian Government will invest $500 million into free or low cost courses, with matched contributions from the States and Territories being sought, bringing the total of JobTrainer to $1 billion.
This funding will support an additional 340 700 training places in areas of skills need.
School leavers and job seekers will benefit from this funding, with the focus of this package "getting people into jobs."
“JobTrainer will ensure more Australians have the chance to reskill or upskill to fill the jobs on the other side of this crisis,” the Prime Minister said.
The National Skills Commission will be working with the states and territories to determine areas of skills need, which will inform the short and long courses on offer through JobTrainer.