Turnbull Government puts up to 212 traineeships and apprenticeships at risk in the Far North

Funding to Queensland’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector will be dramatically slashed under the Turnbull Governments training budget, putting 4,000 apprenticeships and traineeships at risk statewide.

Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman said the $40 million cut to Vocational Education and Training will have a negative impact for Queenslanders looking to upskill and reskill through VET pathways.

“This $40 million funding cut put more than 4,000 training positions at risk and will cast a cloud over the future of up to 212 trainees and apprentices in far north Queensland,” Ms Fentiman said.

“We want more people in training not less.”

“With the Federal Government’s own agencies reporting the real challenge is unlikely to be a shortage of jobs, but rather a shortage of workers appropriately skilled to fill those jobs, it is alarming that they would rip funding from training under the National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform (NPASR). “

“However we know that Malcolm Turnbull and the LNP have form, they have already cut all of its funding to group training organisations, which are one of the largest employers of apprentices in Queensland.”

“On top of this, the Federal Government has reduced a number of programs such as Tools for Your Trade, employer incentives, mature-age incentives, group training assistance and funding to boost childcare traineeships, which have all been eliminated, on top of the end of the resource boom.”

“The Palaszczuk Government is determined to increase the number of apprenticeships and traineeships undertaken in Queensland.”

“We are investing in a range of programs including fee-free places in training for students leaving year 12, direct subsidies for employers to take on apprentices and trainees and because of these programs we have seen impressive results with thousands of Queenslanders finding a job.”

“Malcolm Turnbull and the LNP simply don’t understand the importance of quality training, delivering skilled workers to far north Queensland’s tourism and construction industries.”

“Supporting Regional training is critical to a state like Queensland, where more than half of the population lives outside of the capital city.”

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Inga Williams 0410 769 711