CIVIL APPRENTICESHIP FUNDING

Civil Apprenticeships must be included on the National Skills Needs List and Priority List to ensure Civil Apprenticeships receive full AAIS funding support.

The new Australian Apprenticeships Incentives System (AAIS) Program must recognise the following civil trade qualifications, including inclusion on the supporting National Skills Needs List and Priority List, for full civil apprenticeship AAIS funding:

·       Certificate III Civil Construction RII30920

·       Certificate III Civil Construction Plant Operations RII30820

Specifically, that Federal AAIS Program funding payments omissions related to the above civil apprenticeships be addressed to include:

·       Priority Wage Subsidy – up to $ 15,000*                                

(paid to employer / host)

·       Apprentice Training Support Payments - $5,000*                           (paid to apprentice)

·       Apprentice Trade Support Loans – up to $22,890*                         (paid to apprentice)

*note these are total, maximum figures per apprenticeship

NO FUNDING = CRITICAL IMPACT FOR ALL
 As of 1 July 2022, under the new Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System and Priority List arrangement, over the term of their apprenticeship, a single civil construction apprentice, his \ her employer, family, and industry miss out on up to:

·       $15,000 wage subsidy plus

·       $5,000 training support plus

·       $22,890 in loan support

The following critical impacts will occur without funding:

·       potential loss of current civil apprentices from industry as they are incentivised financially to move to another trade where they can obtain the $5000 in Apprentice Training Support Payments ($1250 every 6 months for 2 years) to assist cost of living while he \ she trains.

·       potential loss of those considering a civil apprenticeship as they are incentivised financially to accept another trade where they can obtain the $5000 in Apprentice Training Support Payments.

·       civil workforce capability and capacity will decline without apprenticeship pathways as the industry continues to age with an unsustainable replenishment rate.

·       record infrastructure spend is occurring in an industry where the most viable and valuable pathway for a new entrant, via apprenticeship, is unfunded

·       the following civil construction professions will suffer ongoing workforce decline (note the following specialisations are supported by the RII30920 and RII30820 qualifications) of:

o   Bituminous Surfacing

o   Bridge Construction and Maintenance

o   Pipe Laying

o   Road Construction and Maintenance

o   Road Marking

o   Tunnel Construction

o   Timber Bridge Construction and Maintenance

o   Traffic Management

o   Civil Construction General

o   Plant Operations