'New energy' apprentice payment broadened to include EV skills and traditional tradies willing to pick up green tools

Brendan O’Connor says the government will expand eligibility to its energy apprenticeship payment. (ABC News: Nick Haggarty)

The federal government will offer up to $10,000 payments for motor, electrical and other apprentices willing to learn clean energy skills in their fields, as it reworks a scheme that has struggled to recruit young apprentices.

Just over 2,200 “new energy” apprentices signed onto a scheme promised by the federal government before the last election, which allowed for people apprenticing to become EV technicians or other designated priority trades to receive a support payment from the government.

But industry found the scheme was too narrow for many young apprentices to be able to use because it was only available to people exclusively in those green roles.

Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor says the government has reworked the program ahead of next fortnight’s federal budget so that people doing traditional trade apprenticeships will be able to receive the payment as long as they complete some work related to clean energy, such as solar panel installation or repairing electric vehicles.

“What we’ve had to recognise is that traditional skills will have to be in our labour market indefinitely,” Mr O’Connor said.

“And to that extent we’ve broadened out eligibility to include those apprentices that will be undertaking both new work and traditional work in the energy sector … to automotive sectors of our economy, to the housing and construction sectors and beyond.”

Alongside apprentices in air conditioning, electricians, mechanics and others who were already in the scheme, people taking on training in hydro-electricity, solar and battery installation and electric vehicle maintenance will now also be able to benefit from the reworked payments.

“We know cost of living pressures can be hard and challenging for people, and we need to therefore provide support [and] most apprentices know that if they acquire an apprenticeship in the energy sector, if they become a sparkie, then they have great opportunities in the labour market,” Mr O’Connor said.

The payments were previously paid in $2,000 instalments to people taking up eligible apprenticeships over the course of their apprenticeship, to a maximum $10,000.

Now the federal government says apprentices will be able to claim $2,000 payments annually as well as a final payment on completion of their apprenticeship as long as they have meaningful exposure to clean energy work.

Those details will be set in regulation and the broadened scheme will begin from June this year.

‘Industry crying out for people’

Motor Trades Association boss Matt Hobbs said including EV technician skills in the scheme was crucial to ensuring the success of the government’s plans to reduce the number of petrol and diesel cars on the road.

The motor association previously warned that Australia already faced a shortage in EV technicians, and that would worsen as more electric cars hit the road unless changes are made.

“The government is being I think smart, they’re wanting to accelerate the uptake of new technology in vehicles [through] the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, but they’re also backing it up by working with industry to make sure we’ve got the people who can meet the needs of keeping those on the road,” Mr Hobbs said.

“It really helps the industry attract talent.”

Year 11 student Lucy is studying a Cert II in automotive and said she knew early that she wanted to work with cars and trucks.

“I really like the idea of being a mechanic and working on that, whether it’s electrical or hybrid or heavy diesel, I don’t really mind,” Lucy said.

“That industry is crying out for people and I love getting dirty, I love using my hands.”

Lucy said the government’s “new energy” payment would not just help encourage more people to pick up clean energy skills, but also lower the barrier for entry into an apprenticeship.

“It definitely helps having a financial incentive, because living nowadays isn’t easy especially when you’re younger … and if you’re doing something that you love and you’re still making money from it, it does help quite a bit,” Lucy said.

“It’s a good thing to make people look at it and go, ‘Oh, it’s an industry that is crying out [for workers], and I do get a reward for it other than just having fun.”