25,000 New housing construction apprentices get their start with government's $10,000 incentive

More than 25,000 Australians have already started an apprenticeship in housing construction in just ten months, thanks to the Albanese Labor Government’s $10,000 Key Apprenticeship Program, providing $10,000 in incentives to new tradies.

The Program is helping build the pipeline of skilled tradies in the critically-important housing construction sector, ensuring that there’s more Australians building more homes in communities across the country.

It is also tackling critical skills shortages, after the former Coalition government left office with shortages at a 50-year high.

As technology reshapes the economy, housing construction trades offer secure, well-paid, long-term careers – and the Albanese Government is backing more Australians to get started.

Between July 2025 and April 2026, 9,384 apprenticeship commencements occurred in carpentry, representing more than a third of commencements under the Program.

Other occupations popular under the Program included plumbing with 5,330 commencements and electrical with 4,832 commencements.

The Program is benefitting communities across the country, with 33 per cent of commencements occurring in regional and remote communities.

The Program, which helps apprentices to start and finish training in the critical skills needed to build more homes, provides support through a $10,000 incentive, paid in instalments over the course of their apprenticeship to assist with costs such as tools, equipment and fuel.

Apprentices receive $2,000 payments at six, 12, 24 and 36 months and on completion of their apprenticeship.

The Key Apprenticeship Program sits alongside other supports introduced by the Albanese Government to support more apprentices to start – and importantly finish – their apprenticeship, including the first increase to the Living Away from Home Allowance in 20 years.

Australians considering an apprenticeship can visit www.apprenticeships.gov.au to learn more about how they can pursue an apprenticeship.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:

“In ten months I’ve met dozens of new apprentices working in trades like carpentry, electrical and plumbing – all of them benefitting from our Key Apprenticeship Program and the incentive payments it’s providing.

“For communities across the country it means there’s thousands more chippies, plumbers and sparkies working to build their skills, and build more homes for Australians.

“Together we’re working to turn around skills shortages that the Coalition left as the worst our country had seen in 50 years. Now, Angus Taylor can’t even commit his Coalition to backing the Key Apprenticeship Program and the thousands of apprentices who are benefitting.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Cities, Clare O’Neil:

"If we're going to build more homes, we're going to need more tradies and that's exactly what this program is doing with a $10,000 incentive payment for tradies getting on the tools.

"We're encouraging more tradies to jump on the tools and help us build our way out of our national housing challenge."