New apprentice incentives provide timely support: HIA

The commencement of new incentives to support apprentices in the residential building industry has been backed by an industry body. 

Kristin Brookfield, HIA chief executive, industry policy said several programs were announced in the 2019 federal budget to support young people move into residential building and other skilled trades.

“In particular the Additional Identified Skills Shortage (AISS) payment for employers and hosts of apprentices, and for apprentices themselves started on 1 July, with five of the ten trades included in the scheme being in residential building," Brookfield said. 

“Vocational education and training continues to be the cornerstone of Australia’s skilled labour force and new housing activity underpins much of our economic growth.

“Ensuring that Australia has the right quantity and quality of skilled tradespeople is critical to the ongoing success of Australia’s home building industry.

“While apprentice incentives offer one part of a solution, the existing systems for training the trades of the future continue to be challenged – to address new technology, to adopt changing apprenticeship models, to compete with other industries and to adapt to expectations of the next generation.

“HIA’s 9th Building Better Cities Summit Skills for tomorrow: Technology or training? to be held in Melbourne on 7 August 2019, will look at the changing nature of residential building and the training framework that underpins it.

"The Summit will open up the debate on how we can shape the industry’s workforce and be ready to build the homes of the future."