The New South Wales Government is scrapping TAFE fees for 100,000 apprentices — saving students about $2,000 per course — in an attempt to combat the trades drought.
In tomorrow's state budget, the Government will allocate $285 million for the scheme and it will take on the cost of courses for all apprenticeships.
Deputy Premier and Skills Minister John Barilaro said it will save students around $2,000 per course.
"We will make it open right across the board to vocational training providers, TAFE NSW and make sure that we get more tradies into the field," he said.
The fee-free courses are not restricted to particular trades.
"Whether you want to be a carpenter, pastry cook or hairdresser, if it's an apprenticeship in NSW you'll be eligible for fee free," Mr Barilaro said.
Currently there are around 80,000 apprentices in NSW. The aim of this budget announcement is to increase that number in order to address a shortage.
Australia is in the grip of an apprenticeship drought, a major skills shortage nationwide.
In the hospitality industry alone, there will be a skills shortage of 75,000 people in the next five years. The health care and building industries are also experiencing big shortages.
"We've heard that even a $2,000 fee seems to be a disincentive, therefore we're removing the disincentive to encourage more young people into trades."
The fee-free apprenticeships are only for new students who are about to enrol, or students who are currently studying and decide to change courses.
In May this year the Federal Opposition announced a Shorten Labor government would scrap up-front fees for 100,000 TAFE students.
The NSW Government denies it is stealing another Labor promise.
Last week it was accused of announcing NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley's policy to air-condition NSW classrooms.
John Barilaro said his government's scheme is different to Bill Shorten's as this one targets apprentices and it provides fees for 100,000 students in just NSW.
"The federal Opposition is saying 100,000 across all TAFE courses, when you break that down it's not that much, it will be difficult for any other state to match this."
The policy will come into effect on the 1st of July.
