The Albanese Labor Government is building the workforce Australia needs for the future by backing apprentices to complete their trade in the residential housing sector.

The Government will provide a $10,000 incentive payment – doubling the current level of support – to encourage Australians to train for jobs in this critical sector.

The new Key Apprenticeship Program will establish a Housing Construction Apprenticeship stream in response to the Strategic Review of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System.

The review released today found cost-of-living pressures faced by apprentices are steering people away from taking up apprenticeships.

Labor’s plan for a Future Made in Australia is very clear: we want Australian workers to make more things here and that includes building more homes.
 
From July 1 2025, eligible apprentices will receive $10,000 in incentive payments, on top of their wages, over the life of their apprenticeship to work in housing construction.
 
Apprentices will receive $2,000 at six, 12, 24, 36 months, and at the completion of their apprenticeship.
 
Encouraging more people into apprenticeships will ensure we have the workforce to deliver our Homes for Australia Plan, an ambitious target to deliver 1.2 million homes over the next 5 years.
 
It builds on the Albanese Labor Government’s plan to support more students and trainees through expanding Free TAFE and slashing HECS fees for university students.
 
The Strategic Review of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System commenced in February 2024 and was led by Dr Iain Ross AO and Ms Lisa Paul AO PSM.

The Review looked at the Incentive System’s performance, how it can align with the broader economic and social objectives of government, and how the system can support high quality apprenticeships.

It also considered how to create a safe training environment for priority apprentice cohorts and the cost of living impacts on apprentices.

The report has drawn on past reviews, research, and input from over 145 public submissions as well as consultations with more than 600 people from across the apprenticeship system.

The Albanese Government is considering the Review’s findings and will consult stakeholders on longer-term reforms recommended by the Review to inform its response.

The Government is also taking additional immediate steps to support the Review’s most urgent recommendations and address ongoing cost-of-living pressures while it undertakes consultation:

• Maintain the 2025 Priority List and extend current Australian Apprentice Training Support and Priority Hiring Incentive payment settings by six months until 31 December 2025. This will provide consistency for employers and cost of living relief to apprentices in priority occupations during the consultation process.
• Increase the Living Away From Home Allowance from 1 July 2025 so apprentices can meet the costs associated with moving to take up an apprenticeship.
• Increase the Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support payment from 1 July 2025 to support employers taking on apprentices with disability.

The program will allow eligible apprentices in construction occupations to receive an additional $5,000 compared to the Australian Apprenticeship Training Support Payment.

The reviewers final report is available here.

As at 24 January 2025.