How businesses will feel the benefit of free apprenticeships

'We will be removing this expense to support businesses to be able to take on more apprentices and trainees'

ON THE JOB: Jackson Keene, Ben Forster and Matt Goodwin from Ipswich City Mechanical. Picture: Rob Williams

WITH one eye on next year's state election, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has jobs and training right at the top of her agenda.

This week, she announced she would reinvigorate building arm QBuild to employ 300 tradies and apprentices over the next three years and reinvigorate regional depots, including in Ipswich.

She said 20 apprentices and 80 qualified tradies would be employed every year to guarantee "proper skills development" in blue collar trades across Queensland.

"The reinvigorated QBuild will also boost my government's ability to respond fast to rebuild and repair our schools, hospitals and social housing impacted by natural disasters," she said.

"We are taking direct action to address youth unemployment."

Earlier this month, the State Government announced an investment of $32 million to remove the cost of training burden on employers in an effort to assist an estimated extra 60,000 young people into a trade.

The free apprenticeships for people under the age of 21 will cover the cost of training for apprentices and trainees who commence or are undertaking a priority apprenticeship or traineeship qualification from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2023.

It will be offered in 139 apprenticeships and traineeships in industries showing a high demand for workers such as electrical, plumbing, engineering, healthcare, hospitality and early childhood as part of the Skills for Queensland plan.

Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman said the plan aims to address current skills shortages.

"Right now, businesses bear the cost for training an apprentice. We will be removing this expense to support businesses to be able to take on more apprentices and trainees," she said.

"We need to plan for the future of Queensland and ensure we have the skilled workers we need now and for the emerging industries.

"This investment in free apprenticeships will support local businesses to be able to take on more apprentices and trainees - we are backing their business to grow."

Ipswich City Mechanical owner Adele Goodwin said the initiative could save her business thousands of dollars.

The Raceview business was started in 2006 and moved to its current location three years ago at a larger site.

It employs eight people, including two young apprentices. Foreman Ben Forster is upskilling with an auto electrician apprenticeship.

"Some of the training can be a (costly expense)," she said.

"With the way the industry is changing, especially the automotive industry, any funding the government can help with any business can help train and keep kids in the industry itself.

"Cars are constantly evolving and changing and they are becoming more and more complicated. It's not the old days where finding a fault was a lot easier. Now we've got to have a lot more expensive equipment and we've got to have the right people who have been trained in those areas in order to work and diagnose these cars."

Ms Goodwin said the scheme would help businesses that don't have an apprentice to take one on and keep the "industry flowing".

"If it helps a mechanical business put on an apprentice or put a second apprentice on, why not?" she said.

"There is a subsidy from the government that's given to us after an apprentice has been with us for a year. But it can cost thousands of dollars just in training alone. A lot of the actual course doesn't cover everything we need so there's often thousands of extra dollars in extra training."

Although she did not think it was hard to find good mechanics, Ms Goodwin said it could be difficult finding people that are still passionate about the industry.

"When we started the business 13 years ago, cars were very different back then," she said.

"The trades are declining. There are kids coming out of school who do think they can just step straight in... but it's the evolution of vehicles that they don't foresee. It's not as simple as changing brakes and tyres and servicing the car anymore."

A full list of free apprenticeships is available at the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training website here.

Learning on the job

JACKSON Keene has watched his sister struggle to figure out where her future lies while studying at university.

The 20-year-old is halfway through a four-year light vehicle mechanic apprenticeship at Ipswich City Mechanical.

He was previously a fitter and turner for a family business but was ready for a change and hasn't look back after starting his apprenticeship.

"I love it, it's a lot better than anything I've done beforehand," he said.

"I've always been playing around with cars. I love the challenge and the different stuff you get to do. A lot of mates are doing trades.

"With an apprenticeship you're straight into it, you're straight into what you do. You learn on the job, that's what I like about it."

Mr Keene said he relished the opportunity to learn new skills and encouraged other young people with an interest in practical work not to shy away from taking on an apprenticeship.

Foreman Ben Forster, 29, is upskilling by doing an auto-electrician apprenticeship.

He is already a qualified mechanic, having done a four-year apprenticeship straight out of school at the age of 17.

"I just liked cars and I've been around cars my whole life," he said.

"The money side wasn't even a worry to me, it was more the outcome that was going to come out of (finishing the apprenticeship)."

Originally published as How businesses will feel the benefit of free apprenticeships