Have nail bag, will travel – and why ever not when there’s work to be done from Far North Queensland to Victoria in the south, and WA in the west, as the clean up and rebuild of those states devastated by the recent floods, fires and Cyclone Yasi kicks down a gear.
With Prime Minister Julia Gillard expecting the $1.8 billion flood levy to be passed in the House of Representatives later this week she is asking tradesmen to consider packing their bags and mucking in to help “get those communities back on their feet”, with the help of a new apprentice or two.
“Thousands of Australian apprentices are already on the frontline helping to rebuild flood-ravaged homes and businesses. (But) Australia needs more apprentices, not just for the flood recovery but for years to come,” she said.
Apprentices working in occupations with skills shortages are eligible for incentives such as tax-exempt bonuses of up to $1700 as they reach training milestones.
“There’s a massive job ahead of us to rebuild homes, businesses and infrastructure such as roads and bridges,” she said. “This summer’s severe weather has been a national tragedy.”
An estimated 41,050 trade apprentices in Queensland are expected to be involved in the states recovery and rebuild, while in Victoria 47,150 apprentices could form part of the critical workforce, and in NSW there are 51,600 apprentices who could gain valuable work skills and experience as part of the recovery. In Western Australia there are fewer up-and-coming tradies: approximately 19,560 apprentices who could become part of the army of tradespeople needed to get the job done.
If you’re a tradie running a business that employs apprentices then watch this space – the skills bonus scheme may make packing your bags and building your business as you help rebuild the nation a very attractive possibility.
