THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING
MEMBER FOR SYDNEY
GED KEARNEY MP
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR SKILLS
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR AGED CARE
MEMBER FOR COOPER
SCOTT MORRISON’S TRADIE CRISIS: AUSTRALIA SET TO LOSE 100,000 APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES THIS YEAR
If Scott Morrison fails to act, Australia is set to lose 100,000 apprentice and trainees this year – a massive 35 per cent drop – according to new modelling from the National Australian Apprenticeship Association.
The Liberals have spent seven years creating a tradie crisis in Australia with $3 billion cut from TAFE and training, widespread skills shortages, and 140,000 apprentices and trainees lost.
Now experts are warning that 100,000 more apprentices and trainees will go by December, unless the Federal government does something serious to help.
We’re talking about a situation that will be much worse than during the Global Financial Crisis.
We will need tradies to help Australia recover after coronavirus, so why won’t Scott Morrison help save apprentices now?
It’s all very well to talk about construction projects and renovations, but you need tradies and apprentices to build them. Scott Morrison has no plan for that.
Today’s new analysis follows weeks of bad news for apprentices and trainees.
On Monday, the Australian Industry Group said youth unemployment will skyrocket if there isn’t a substantial increase in Federal Government support.
A few weeks ago, we heard that between January and April this year, there was a 73 per cent fall in apprentice job ads.
It’s no wonder our nation has a shortage of bricklayers, plumbers, hairdressers, panelbeaters, and other critical tradies.
POTENTIAL APPRENTICE & TRAINEE LOSSES (BY POPULATION SHARE)
State/Territory Number of apprentices and trainees lost
NSW -31,899
VIC -26,005
QLD -20,091
WA -10,338
SA -6,907
TAS -2,107
ACT -1,683
NT -970
Population data source: ABS June 2019
THURSDAY, 4 JUNE 2020
