(As of December 2022 Blog, this information was sourced from authoritative websites which were Updated: 23 August 2022.)
In the case of Plastics Apprentices, there are incentives for new employee-apprentices but not for existing employees who become an apprentice, and this covers all the Plastic/Polymer processing apprenticeships. This is now called the “Hiring Incentive” and can be up to $3,500. This applies as well to Toolmaking Trade Apprentices.
In the case of Maintenance fitter apprentices, an Australian Apprentice undertaking this occupation, which is on the Priority List, may be eligible for an Apprentice Training Support Payment of up to $5,000 paid in instalments over the first two years of their Australian Apprenticeship.
The Priority List
The above “rules” are mainly influenced by the fact that all the “Plastics” occupations, like Composites Technician Extrusion technician etc, are not listed on the “Priority List”. The Priority List identifies occupations classified by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) as either Technicians and Trades Workers or Community and Personal Service Workers, that were included on the Skills Priority List published by the National Skills Commission on 30 June 2021.
Questions and Answers
How have the occupations on the Priority List been selected?
The occupations on the Priority List meet the following criteria: assessed by the National Skills Commission as being in shortage; and classified by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) as either Technicians and Trades Workers (ANZSCO Major Group 3). (and others not relevant to our industries..). These criteria were applied as they identify occupations with a labour market need and those most likely to involve an Australian Apprenticeship entry pathway.
The Priority List will be updated regularly. The National Skills Needs List was last updated in 2011.
Major unanswered questions.
- Why is Plastics Technician not classified in ANZSCO Major Group 3?
- Why is Plastics Technician not assessed as being a skills shortage?
- What needs to be done to remedy this situation?