Businesses which engage apprentices who are receiving support payments under the new energy apprenticeships scheme may be eligible for wage subsidies of up to $15,000 over three years.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has released an updated Australian Apprenticeships Priority List (Priority List), including an additional 39 occupations which may attract wage subsidies.
This follows the introduction on 1 January 2023 of a New Energy Apprentice Support Payment (NEASP). The NEASP provides eligible apprentices undertaking a Certificate III or above with payments of up to $10,000 over four years if they are engaged in an occupation identified as clean energy on the Priority List.
Employers may be eligible for the Priority Wage Subsidy if they engage apprentices or trainees who are receiving the NEASP. This wage subsidy provides 10% of wages paid up to $1,500 per quarter in the first and second years, and 5% of wages up to $750 per quarter in the third year.
These changes provide employers and apprentices with financial incentives to respectively engage or undertake occupations linked to new energy projects or initiatives, and re designed to increase apprentice uptake, boost retention and increase completion rates.
