Apprenticeships will be free in NSW under a $285 million plan to fund 100,000 positions, due to be announced in Tuesday's state budget.
The program for aspiring tradies will mean students will no longer have to pay up to $3000 in fees to learn plumbing, carpentry or bricklaying skills.
"We have already created positions for apprentices ... and now we are covering the cost of training," Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced today Monday.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the economy was "humming" and he wanted to ensure "we are equipping a workforce with the skills to meet future demand" from the government's infrastructure building program.
“We’re seeing record numbers of jobs being created, and we want to make sure we are equipping a workforce with the skills necessary to meet future demand,” Mr Perrottet said.
“There are an abundance of opportunities available for the next generation, and we want to make it as attractive as possible for them to take up a trade.”
NSW Minister for Skills, John Barilaro, said while NSW is home to around 60,000 apprentices, the state needs more to continue to deliver the roads, rail, schools and hospitals the NSW Government is investing in.
“As an ex-tradie, it is extremely rewarding to be delivering this free training opportunity, particularly for our youngest workers,” Mr Barilaro said.
“This sort of free training offer has never been made before, so I encourage people thinking about skilling up, or starting a new career to make the most of it.”
- Australian Associated Press
