Opposition leader Liza Harvey has pledged to spend $200 million to create 20,000 trade and apprentice roles if elected premier at the upcoming state election.
Opposition leader Liza Harvey has pledged to spend $200 million to create 20,000 trade and apprentice roles if elected premier at the upcoming state election.
That comes as the opposition has steadily rolled out a slate of smaller policies in recent months, including a five-year, $50 million local jobs guarantee.
Announcing the party's latest policy this afternoon, Mrs Harvey said the scheme would incentivise hiring younger workers by providing $10,000 to businesses that take on new apprentices and $5,000 to those that take on trainees.
That’s on top of an additional $1,000 bonus for apprentices to purchases tools, as well as clothing, medical assessments, police clearances and other direct costs involved with working.
Mrs Harvey said the opposition was committed to increasing the number of trade apprentices in the state following a sharp rise in unemployment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We believe these initiatives provide plenty of incentive for Western Australian businesses to hire young local people and give them the start they are craving in the industry they are passionate about,” she said.
“This … plan is not only beneficial for our youth, it will also help older Western Australians reskill or upskill, including those impacted by COVID-19.”
Master Builders Association of WA, who Mrs Harvey said had been consulted while drafting the policy, were among the first industry bodies to welcome the policy, with executive director John Gelavis noting the effect it would have on the building and construction industry specifically.
That industry has received close attention from governments in recent months, both through the federal government's HomeBuilder scheme and through significant adjustments to the state government's planning laws made in June.
“Targeted measures are required to encourage employers to take on young people and support them to increase the completion rates for building trade apprenticeships,” Mr Gelavis said.
“This is important backing for the stimulus packages designed to enable the building industry to lead WA's recovery.”
More to come.
