Latest news with #TAFEs
The Advertiser
23-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Back-to-basics budget with billions for infrastructure
Roads, schools, TAFEs and hospitals are the big-ticket items unveiled so far as part of a NSW budget focused on infrastructure investments. NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to buy 50 new "bendy" buses and $150 million for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million * $250 million to break the traffic pinch-point of Mona Vale Rd, a critical artery in north Sydney, matched by $250 million from the federal government to expand the road from two to four lanes EDUCATION: * $9 billion across four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused on growing suburban communities, including three new public primary schools with attached public preschools in west and southwest Sydney * $3.4 billion towards TAFE and upskilling, including $40 million to enable 23,000 construction students to complete their apprenticeships for free HEALTH: * Another $700 million towards construction of the $2 billion Bankstown Hospital and relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, with the $492 million investment to include an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens such as Ebola and measles * $23 million to cut down the overdue surgery list by 3500 * $83 million to bolster maternity care ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS * $202 million for Closing the Gap projects, including $23 million towards community-led suicide prevention programs LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, including $50 million to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million across five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for more solicitors HOUSING: * $145 million across four years for the state's Building Commission to hire more prosecutors, investigators and inspectors to weed out dodgy residential builds * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date INNOVATION AND BUSINESS: * $80 million in innovation funding, including $38.5 million to boost technology hub TechCentral * A four-person Investment Delivery Authority to fast-track planning approvals for billion-dollar projects ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces, including the repair of heritage-listed Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct, housing wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects, for $115.5 million * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * Establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector, including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions Roads, schools, TAFEs and hospitals are the big-ticket items unveiled so far as part of a NSW budget focused on infrastructure investments. NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to buy 50 new "bendy" buses and $150 million for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million * $250 million to break the traffic pinch-point of Mona Vale Rd, a critical artery in north Sydney, matched by $250 million from the federal government to expand the road from two to four lanes EDUCATION: * $9 billion across four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused on growing suburban communities, including three new public primary schools with attached public preschools in west and southwest Sydney * $3.4 billion towards TAFE and upskilling, including $40 million to enable 23,000 construction students to complete their apprenticeships for free HEALTH: * Another $700 million towards construction of the $2 billion Bankstown Hospital and relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, with the $492 million investment to include an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens such as Ebola and measles * $23 million to cut down the overdue surgery list by 3500 * $83 million to bolster maternity care ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS * $202 million for Closing the Gap projects, including $23 million towards community-led suicide prevention programs LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, including $50 million to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million across five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for more solicitors HOUSING: * $145 million across four years for the state's Building Commission to hire more prosecutors, investigators and inspectors to weed out dodgy residential builds * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date INNOVATION AND BUSINESS: * $80 million in innovation funding, including $38.5 million to boost technology hub TechCentral * A four-person Investment Delivery Authority to fast-track planning approvals for billion-dollar projects ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces, including the repair of heritage-listed Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct, housing wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects, for $115.5 million * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * Establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector, including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions Roads, schools, TAFEs and hospitals are the big-ticket items unveiled so far as part of a NSW budget focused on infrastructure investments. NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to buy 50 new "bendy" buses and $150 million for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million * $250 million to break the traffic pinch-point of Mona Vale Rd, a critical artery in north Sydney, matched by $250 million from the federal government to expand the road from two to four lanes EDUCATION: * $9 billion across four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused on growing suburban communities, including three new public primary schools with attached public preschools in west and southwest Sydney * $3.4 billion towards TAFE and upskilling, including $40 million to enable 23,000 construction students to complete their apprenticeships for free HEALTH: * Another $700 million towards construction of the $2 billion Bankstown Hospital and relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, with the $492 million investment to include an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens such as Ebola and measles * $23 million to cut down the overdue surgery list by 3500 * $83 million to bolster maternity care ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS * $202 million for Closing the Gap projects, including $23 million towards community-led suicide prevention programs LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, including $50 million to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million across five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for more solicitors HOUSING: * $145 million across four years for the state's Building Commission to hire more prosecutors, investigators and inspectors to weed out dodgy residential builds * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date INNOVATION AND BUSINESS: * $80 million in innovation funding, including $38.5 million to boost technology hub TechCentral * A four-person Investment Delivery Authority to fast-track planning approvals for billion-dollar projects ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces, including the repair of heritage-listed Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct, housing wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects, for $115.5 million * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * Establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector, including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions Roads, schools, TAFEs and hospitals are the big-ticket items unveiled so far as part of a NSW budget focused on infrastructure investments. NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to buy 50 new "bendy" buses and $150 million for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million * $250 million to break the traffic pinch-point of Mona Vale Rd, a critical artery in north Sydney, matched by $250 million from the federal government to expand the road from two to four lanes EDUCATION: * $9 billion across four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused on growing suburban communities, including three new public primary schools with attached public preschools in west and southwest Sydney * $3.4 billion towards TAFE and upskilling, including $40 million to enable 23,000 construction students to complete their apprenticeships for free HEALTH: * Another $700 million towards construction of the $2 billion Bankstown Hospital and relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, with the $492 million investment to include an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens such as Ebola and measles * $23 million to cut down the overdue surgery list by 3500 * $83 million to bolster maternity care ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS * $202 million for Closing the Gap projects, including $23 million towards community-led suicide prevention programs LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, including $50 million to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million across five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for more solicitors HOUSING: * $145 million across four years for the state's Building Commission to hire more prosecutors, investigators and inspectors to weed out dodgy residential builds * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date INNOVATION AND BUSINESS: * $80 million in innovation funding, including $38.5 million to boost technology hub TechCentral * A four-person Investment Delivery Authority to fast-track planning approvals for billion-dollar projects ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces, including the repair of heritage-listed Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct, housing wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects, for $115.5 million * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * Establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector, including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions
Perth Now
23-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Back-to-basics budget with billions for infrastructure
Roads, schools, TAFEs and hospitals are the big-ticket items unveiled so far as part of a NSW budget focused on infrastructure investments. NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to buy 50 new "bendy" buses and $150 million for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million * $250 million to break the traffic pinch-point of Mona Vale Rd, a critical artery in north Sydney, matched by $250 million from the federal government to expand the road from two to four lanes EDUCATION: * $9 billion across four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused on growing suburban communities, including three new public primary schools with attached public preschools in west and southwest Sydney * $3.4 billion towards TAFE and upskilling, including $40 million to enable 23,000 construction students to complete their apprenticeships for free HEALTH: * Another $700 million towards construction of the $2 billion Bankstown Hospital and relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, with the $492 million investment to include an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens such as Ebola and measles * $23 million to cut down the overdue surgery list by 3500 * $83 million to bolster maternity care ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS * $202 million for Closing the Gap projects, including $23 million towards community-led suicide prevention programs LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, including $50 million to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million across five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for more solicitors HOUSING: * $145 million across four years for the state's Building Commission to hire more prosecutors, investigators and inspectors to weed out dodgy residential builds * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date INNOVATION AND BUSINESS: * $80 million in innovation funding, including $38.5 million to boost technology hub TechCentral * A four-person Investment Delivery Authority to fast-track planning approvals for billion-dollar projects ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces, including the repair of heritage-listed Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct, housing wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects, for $115.5 million * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * Establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector, including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions
The Australian
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Australian
TAFE deal sets the digital trend for students
A surge in enrolments driven by Fee-Free TAFE places and sweeping policy changes is prompting TAFEs across the country to overhaul their core technology systems to boost efficiencies and meet the heightened expectations of digitally-savvy students. Tasmanian TAFE students will be the latest to soon be using a globally leading Australian software solution to guide them through their courses, after the organisation partnered with leading local student management system provider TechnologyOne. The TechnologyOne Student Management solution integrates core business systems into a single platform, streamlining administrative processes, improving service delivery and enhancing the overall student experience. TasTAFE interim CEO Will McShane said the new digital implementation placed learners at its very heart. 'Investing in this solution will streamline operations across TasTAFE, making day-to-day tasks simpler for our learners and staff. This will, in turn, free up capacity for us to focus on what matters most: delivering quality education and creating real pathways to jobs,' McShane said. 'This solution supports all stages of the learner journey, empowering students with greater control and visibility over their academic experience through the one platform.' As part of its commitment to TasTAFE, TechnologyOne will also provide five learners with two-week vocational placements at its Brisbane headquarters each year. David Cope, TechnologyOne's executive vice-president for education, said: 'These placements offer hands-on industry experience for students, allowing them to work alongside our cyber security experts, our R&D engineers, and our support consultants, which gives them really good real life experiences.' He said TechnologyOne's unmatched national footprint, combined with its huge commitment to R&D in Australia, meant TasTAFE would benefit from a direct influence on the future product development roadmap. It comes at a pivotal moment for the TAFE sector after the federal government last year announced a permanent 100,000 Fee-Free places from 2027. The government has funded more than 500,000 Fee-Free TAFE places in the past three years. Cope said the new places were driving rapid growth in student numbers and placing new demands on TAFEs' business models and student management systems. About 65 per cent of Australian TAFEs now use one or more of TechnologyOne's OneEducation ERP software products, making the provider the preferred software vendor to Australian TAFEs. Cope said TechnologyOne's unique differentiator was its 'Power of One' proposition, offering a single vendor, code line and experience to all its customers. TechnologyOne takes ownership of designing, building, selling, implementing, running and supporting SaaS products and services to guarantee each of its customers long-term success. 'We are the only true SaaS-based provider of student management solutions,' Cope said. 'Our solution enables students or staff to access those services anywhere, anytime, on any device, enabling them to adapt to the ever changing landscape.' Phil Paterson, the chief executive of Wodonga TAFE, said its partnership with TechnologyOne utilising full electronic enrolment had made student enrolments less labour-intensive and simpler for students to navigate. 'We are seeing a reduced demand for face-to-face or supported enrolment processes, which suggests that streamlining the complex enrolment practices via the use of technology are hitting the mark,' Paterson said. Paterson suggested that the VET sector could look to Wodonga TAFE's own TechnologyOne implementation as a technology blueprint that could serve as a model for TAFEs across the country. 'How do we leverage the successes we have had for the benefit of the sector more broadly?' he said. 'I would like to see more sharing and collaboration across the Victorian and National TAFE networks and building deeper partnerships with TechnologyOne especially in relation to Student Management Systems. 'There is significant value in leveraging the full capability of an ERP solution, and continuing to evolve the product to ensure that it represents one source of data and one source of truth for the organisation is important.' TAFE Directors Australia CEO Jenny Dodd said that in the future people would have increasing access to both tertiary and vocational education throughout their working lives in many different forms, which would require cutting edge technological systems. 'Be that for an apprentice where there are really good touch points, making sure that the apprentice is meeting their milestones, or whether that is for a student who might be taking on a diploma or an advanced diploma, or where someone has secured a higher education qualification and is coming into vocational education,' Dodd said. TechnologyOne originally started its relationship with Victoria University, supporting its VET sector students before its technology solutions were rolled out to the university's higher education students. As artificial intelligence reshapes the workforce, Dodd said she saw a dual challenge – equipping staff and students alike with AI literacy and ethics, while harnessing AI tools to personalise and enhance education delivery. 'That means bringing our teaching staff up to that capability,' she said. 'It also means bringing the student population into a place where they can make good judgments around what they are accessing through generative AI and having a strong understanding of the ethics. 'The data analytics has been with us for a little while now, but we are still not using it to its optimum, and in the future it will help personalise the learning experience and make it possible for students to fall through the cracks less often.' Cope agreed, and highlighted TechnologyOne's ongoing commitment to innovation, reinvesting 25 per cent of its revenue into research and development, including AI and machine learning (ML). 'A lot of what we are doing is around simplicity. Simplifying the complex, making things much quicker, single-click applications or enrolments. That will be our focus for the future,' he said. 'How can we put just the right amount of information in the right people's hands, at the right time? There is a lot to be said for using AI and ML to identify those specific moments in time when you can intervene and support the student experience by simplifying and automating processes.' Damon Kitney Columnist Damon Kitney has spent three decades in financial journalism, including 16 years at The Australian Financial Review and 12 years as Victorian business editor at The Australian. He specialises in writing the untold personal stories of the nation's richest and most private people and now has his own writing and advisory business, DMK Publishing. He has published three books, The Price of Fortune: The Untold Story of being James Packer; The Inner Sanctum, and The Fortune Tellers. @DamonKitney
Techday NZ
30-04-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Exclusive: Workforce skills gap hits critical point in ANZ
Australia and New Zealand are at a turning point when it comes to workforce skills. That's according to Tony Maguire, Regional Director at D2L, who says shifting demographics, rising demands on professionals and managers, and a lack of action on upskilling are combining to create an urgent need for change. "The statistics say demand for skills associated with managers and professionals has risen sharply," he said. "In 2024, 69% of businesses reported an increased need for managers' skills. That's up from 43% just two years earlier." This rapid rise is due in part to companies rebalancing after the disruption of the pandemic. Maguire said businesses are restructuring their operations, and mid- to senior-level managers are under significant pressure to support that process. He also highlighted a 30% increase in the demand for manager-specific soft skills over two years, calling the trend "massive". Beyond statistics, Maguire said the workplace is facing what he called a "potential workforce dissonance"—a clash of values, motivations and expectations between generations. "We've got three waves. One is older workers—people like me—staying in the workforce longer," he explained. "Then we've got millennials, who now make up 45% of the workforce. And behind them is the building swell, Gen Z, who are bringing in completely new values." According to Maguire, Gen Zs place a high emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, with more than half seeing these values as essential in the workplace. And while these weren't previously high-priority drivers, "63% of Gen Z employees now say that culture and values are more important than the paycheck." He argued this shift could either create disconnection—or be used as a lever to build stronger, more cohesive workplaces through purpose-driven skill development. "You need to thread together a cohesive set of work cultures that lead to productivity gains based upon a cohesive approach to skills development," he said. A key part of the solution, he believes, lies in recognising and accrediting skills in a more flexible and accessible way. He pointed to vocational degrees—credentials offered at the bachelor level through TAFEs and universities—as a model for demonstrating lived experience and evidence of skill attainment. "It's about recognition and value," he said. "How do you personalise that in terms of a professional map, so you can show that growth?" But he also issued a stark warning: systemic inequalities in employment still exist and show little sign of improvement. "Employment rates for people with disability are still massively behind those who identify as not having a disability—and there's been no improvement in 20 years," he said. "For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, there's been no noticeable change in 30 years. And youth unemployment is still double the national average." When asked what specific skills are most urgently needed, Maguire cited a broad range—from trades to tech. "There's quite a bit going around about skills shortages," he said. "Professionals and managers are number two and three on that list, after technicians and trade workers." He said the shortfalls are especially apparent in infrastructure, where basic frameworks are missing. "The CEO of a trade association recently told me there's no competency framework for concreters. You're just firing the concrete in the pit, but there's actually a lot more to it." This gap, he said, reflects a larger issue of how fragmented skill development has become across industries. And it's especially difficult for small business operators and sole traders, who may not have the resources to invest in upskilling. "Most of these guys just need to get to the next gig," he said. "So how do you bring the level of management along with you? That's where associations have a huge role to play—improving strategic and tactical thinking for their members." One barrier, Maguire said, is the lack of time. With many businesses still in "survival mode" following COVID, upskilling often falls to the bottom of the priority list. "They're trying to keep the lights on," he said. "But if you're just keeping your eye on the ball, you're not looking specifically at where that ball is going." He cited research showing that 77% of businesses plan to reskill staff on the job—but questioned how realistic that is. "In your work day, where do you find the time to do re-skilling?" he asked. "If you've been on the tools all day or in a call centre, you've got to be highly motivated to invest in yourself after hours." Instead, Maguire suggested that technology can help make learning more accessible—by breaking it into smaller, more manageable modules. "How do we chunk down learning into more accessible, bite-sized pieces?" he said. "Not just micro-credentials, but just-in-time learning and longer-term journeys, depending on what the learner needs." He also believes CEOs have a key role to play in identifying and nurturing the right people. "You're looking for employees who make a real contribution—people with soft skills, leadership qualities, resilience," he said. "Those are the folks that CEOs are looking for. You can always train for the harder business skills." At an upcoming associations conference, he said he expects to see both types of delegates: those sent to enjoy a break, and others attending to genuinely grow their skills. "So as a CEO, you've got to be able to respond to different reward structures and development needs." Asked whether workforce development should be a shared responsibility, he didn't hesitate. "This really is all a team sport," he said. "You need TAFEs, universities, government and business to all come together." He added that without this shared effort—and a transparent way to track progress across stakeholders—the system won't work. "If employees don't see the value, they won't invest the time. If employers can't see a return, they won't support it either," he said. So what would he say to business leaders wondering what to do next? "This calls for a different kind of leadership," he said. "One that recognises productivity and the value the workforce brings to the business." He urged leaders to invest in themselves, understand the data, and empower change from within. Boards must also support CEOs, and vendors should go beyond selling solutions to helping solve real problems. "There's more pie if we all work together," he said. "An incoming tide lifts all boats."
Sky News AU
22-04-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Federal Election 2025: Labor promises new Advanced Entry Trades Training program helping 6,000 tradies, rivalling Coalition's pledge
The Albanese government has promised to upskill tradies in a bid to fast track the mountain amount of homes Labor plan to build within five years. Labor plans to establish a new Advanced Entry Trades Training program from 2026 to help 6,000 unqualified workers get official qualification, the Daily Telegraph reports. The program will assess participants' existing skills and then provide additional training at TAFEs and other high quality registered training organisations, in a pledge to fast-track skilled workers. This is part of Labor's plan to boost housing supply amid an affordability crisis and meet their goal to build 1.2 million new homes within five years. On top of lofty housing goals the government has committed to constructing 100,000 homes exclusively for first-home buyers who can lay down a 5 per cent deposit, if they get re-elected in May. 'Apprenticeship pathways are a key contributor to the workforce – but for adult workers, particularly those supporting a family, the thought of 'restarting' their career with an apprenticeship is a barrier to getting qualified in their trade,' Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles said. 'We are making it easier for workers with existing knowledge and skills to get the recognition and qualifications they deserve.' The program will be modelled like an already established New South Wales program, which has seen more than 1,200 students gain trade qualifications in an average time of seven months, rather than several years. A total of $78 million will be invested into the program over six years with residential housing and civil construction trades to be included in the program due to the crucial role they play in housing development. For every new qualified tradesman, an additional 2.4 houses will be built each year, according to Master Builders Australia. 'We have a $43 billion plan to construct more homes around the country and our investments in skills and training are playing an important role in putting that plan into action,' Treasurer Jim Chalmers said. The Coalition has also pledged a flurry of investments in trades, promising to build 12 new technical colleges across Australia worth $260 million and increase the number of apprentices and trainees to 400,000. On top of that small businesses and tradies will be able to instantly write off at least $20,000 in expenses, while small and medium businesses have been incentivised to take on new apprentices in critical trades with $12,000 payments.
