The Opposition has today unveiled a package of seven key measures to boost apprenticeship and traineeship numbers, helping address the skills shortage that is reaching crisis point in many industries.
Opposition Leader, Vincent Tarzia said the plan is designed to have a swift impact on productivity, business viability and the quality of life for South Australians.
“The measures we will introduce if elected to Government in 2026 will address issues we are seeing across the private and public sectors alike – especially in key industries such as hospitality, construction and defence,” said Mr Tarzia.
“These steps could be introduced right now by the Malinauskas Government, but they are asleep at the skills-wheel,” said Mr Tarzia.
“If they won’t do it, we will, if we are elected to Government in 2026.”
The package includes bold steps, such as exploring a range of apprenticeships that could be reduced from four years to three years, as well as extra support for group training, mentors for apprentices and their workplaces, and a range of policies targeted at getting more school students to look at skilled pathways.
The seven step Liberal plan for Boosting South Australian Apprenticeships includes:
- Three year apprenticeships, where appropriate
- Boosting group training
- Guaranteed funding for construction training
- Mentors for apprentices and their supervisors
- Payroll tax exemptions for trainees and apprentices
- Lifting the status of apprenticeships - bringing Worldskills to Adelaide
- Better career counselling and VET programs in all our schools
Shadow Minister for Education, Training and Skills, John Gardner, said that Labor had dropped the ball on apprenticeships and traineeships since coming to Government.
“Many of the areas with the most acute skills shortages require growth in the numbers of people doing apprenticeships and traineeships, but regrettably since Labor came to power, these numbers have plummeted,” said Mr Gardner.
“Unfortunately, since Labor came to Government, they have shifted the emphasis within the training away from employer led initiatives such as support for apprentices and trainees, towards more VET qualifications within the TAFE SA organisation. The keynote training policy for state and federal Labor has been called ‘Fee-Free TAFE’.
“While ‘Fee-Free TAFE’ sounds very nice as a marketing mechanism, its completion rates have so far been well below 50%, and it is not always clear that these courses lead directly to employment outcomes.
“On the other hand, we believe that an apprenticeship or a traineeship is the ultimate fee-free TAFE course. Not only is the training component of an apprenticeship ‘fee free’ – they even get paid to do the training!
“Since Labor came to power, the year-on-year increase in commencements and in-training numbers of apprenticeships and traineeships, achieved by the former Government, has turned around, and those numbers are now dropping each year.”
This package of detailed and costed policy measures is therefore designed to boost the pipeline of apprentices and trainees, particularly in areas of key skills shortage and workplace need (such as hospitality, construction and defence).
The Liberal Party will outline further policy measures to boost our skilled workforce between now and the 2026 state election.
Quotes attributable to owner of Robin Hood Hotel, Matt Binns as follows:
“Hoteliers are struggling to find qualified chefs. The quicker apprentices can become qualified the better it will be for the sector.
“It is difficult to get young people to take up apprenticeships. Reducing the time apprentices take to become qualified is a great incentive.”
Quotes attributable to chef Patrice Ricourt:
“France is the epicentre of the culinary world and it only takes two years to become qualified there.
“Australia should make it easier for chefs to be qualified and begin their careers.”
