Election 2025: Labor challenged to match Coalition $500m apprenticeships pledge

The construction industry has welcomed the Coalition pledge to support the wages of about 40,000 new eligible apprentices and trainees every year for construction and housing.

Home construction under way. ‘The construction sector employs over 200,000 civil workers across Australia, yet participation in apprenticeship-level training remains well below the national averages,’ say construction groups. Picture: David Caird

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The nation’s construction industry has challenged Labor to match the Coalition’s $500m investment pledge in apprenticeships and construction skills amid a slump in trainees.

Master Builders Australia, the Civil Contractors Federation and the Urban Development Institute of Australia welcomed the Coali­tion pledge to support the wages of about 40,000 new eligible apprentices and trainees every year to build up a pipeline of construction and housing workers.

“This is a win for civil contractors, for the broader construction industry, and for Australia’s future infrastructure delivery,” the groups said.

“The construction sector employs over 200,000 civil workers across Australia, yet participation in apprenticeship-level training remains well below the national average. This commitment ensures civil apprentices will be eligible for financial support under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System.

“The industry is now calling on the Albanese government to recognise the leadership shown by the federal opposition to match this announcement and extend the same recognition to all construction apprentices including civil across Australia.

“Ensuring bipartisan support is essential to building a resilient construction workforce capable of delivering the housing and infrastructure Australians need.”

Opposition skills spokeswoman Sussan Ley has claimed training numbers have collapsed since Labor took office in 2022.

“Labor promised to deliver more apprentices and more trainees yet there are 90,000 fewer apprentices and trainees in training than when Anthony Albanese took office,” she said.

Figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research show the number of apprentices fell to 333,765 in the September 2024 quarter from 427,715 three years ago.

That 427,715 was a historical peak, with figures in the previous seven years usually under 300,000.

A NCVER report in 2021 found the Morrison government’s Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy scheme had driven that large uptick in commencements.