THE Minister for Employment, Workforce, Small and Family Business, Stuart Robert, has announced that there are 30 percent more apprentices now in the Hunter region than pre-COVID.

“30 percent… at a time when we thought moving into COVID would have a permanent scarring effect across the apprenticeships and the skilled network.

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“What we’re seeing is a permanent skilling effect, which is extraordinary.”

Minister Robert said that there are more Australians in work now than pre-COVID, which he credits to the Morrison Government’s economic plan.

“The Morrison Government remains and is the best friend tradies have ever had,” he said.

Mr Robert says that this has been supported through the recent announcement of the Federal Budget.

“There is $3.7 billion for a new skilling agreement with the states and territories that’ll see 800,000 more Australian skilled workers, we have also widened and extended the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencement program that will see 35,000 more trainees on the tools as the Government provides a 50 per cent wage subsidy through to 30 June, and then a whole new Australian apprenticeship incentive program that’ll start from 1 July.

“We’re going to back in our tradies, we’re going to back in skilling our young people,” he said.

The Minister claims the reason behind the 30 percent figure is that the Morrison Government is “backing in tradies”.

“We’re providing incentives for both apprentices and businesses.

“That we’re providing incentives into the economy to grow.

“That we’re saying to this region: you have a future.

“This is not an area that is declining – this is an area that is growing.

“A future for the Hunter region here, in seats like Paterson, Shortland and Hunter, is incredibly strong under the Liberal-National Government,” Minister Roberts said.

However, not all are convinced, with Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson unsatisfied with the current Federal Government’s support for apprenticeships.

“I refute the Minister’s statement and official figures do, in fact, tell the story.

“Under the former Labor Government, more than one million Australians completed their apprenticeships and traineeships in six years.

“Over the same period, the Coalition has struggled to see more than 500,000.”

Ms Swanson said that these figures are not Labor’s and instead are documented by National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) VOCSTATS data.

“In Paterson alone, apprentice and trainee numbers are down 44 percent under the Coalition.

“Under Labor, 7684 apprentices and trainees completed their training, compared with only 4297 under the Liberals during the same time.

“This drop in apprentices and trainees has left many businesses in the lurch, crying out for more skilled and qualified staff that simply don’t exist,” she said.

By Tara CAMPBELL