New apprentice, trainee and cadet targets under Australian Skills Guarantee

The Australian Skills Guarantee is now in effect, setting new national targets for the number of apprentices, trainees and paid cadets working on eligible Australian Government-funded projects.

The Australian Skills Guarantee (ASG) is designed to help train the next generation of skilled workers and was a key commitment under Labor’s Secure Australian Jobs Plan.

The ASG applies to new Commonwealth-funded construction and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) projects with a total contract value of $10 million or more.

A minimum of 10% of all labour hours on major and flagship construction projects will need to be undertaken by apprentices and trainees, ensuring thousands more skilled workers in the construction and ICT sectors.

Other targets on major construction projects include:

• A minimum of 6% of all apprentice/trainee labour hours to undertaken by women
• A minimum of 4% of trade apprentice/trainee labour hours to be undertaken by women.

The targets for women on Commonwealth-funded major construction projects will increase annually to 2030.

The increasing targets will help deliver on our aim to double the proportion of women in apprenticeships and traineeships on those projects and triple participation of women in trade apprenticeships by the end of the decade, an important step to meeting future skills needs.

Flagship construction projects over $100 million will be required to propose and meet more ambitious targets for women apprentices and develop a Gender Equality Action Plan outlining how they will be achieved.

For ICT sector projects with a value of $10 million or more, targets for apprentices, trainees, paid cadets and women apprentices will initially be negotiated on a project-by-project basis.

The Skills Guarantee targets will also apply to major social and affordable housing projects under the National Housing Accord, venue infrastructure projects for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, and road and rail infrastructure projects under the Federation Funding Agreement Schedule.

For more information visit https://www.dewr.gov.au/australian-skills-guarantee

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor:

“These new targets for apprentices, trainees and paid cadets on major Commonwealth-funded construction and ICT projects will help train the next generation of workers.

“The Australian Skills Guarantee leverages the government’s significant purchasing power to drive real change in industries that are vital to the growth of our labour force, our economy and a Future Made in Australia.

“By also introducing targets for women apprentices on major eligible Commonwealth-funded construction and ICT projects, we’re helping create a more diverse and inclusive workforce that will deliver benefits for women apprentices, their employers and the national economy."