WA government expands apprenticeship program to boost building and construction workforce

The Cook Government has announced an additional $21.5 million investment to expand the Group Training Organisation (GTO) Wage Subsidy Program, aiming to boost Western Australia’s building and construction workforce and accelerate the delivery of new homes across the state.

The program expansion will provide an additional 150 apprentice places, available immediately to GTOs, bringing the total investment in the program to $87.8 million since 2022.

Premier Roger Cook emphasised the importance of ensuring a pipeline of skilled local workers for the building and construction industry, stating, “The highly successful GTO Wage Subsidy Program is giving our young people more opportunities to take up apprenticeships in the building and construction industry, so they can earn and learn.”

The GTO Wage Subsidy provides up to $135,000 for a four-year apprenticeship, covering the average estimated award wage of full-time apprentices in the building and construction industry. This enables small to medium-sized businesses to access apprentices to meet their specific project needs and helps ease skilled labour shortages in the sector.

Treasurer Rita Saffioti highlighted the program’s success, saying, “The fact we’re expanding the Group Training Organisation Wage Subsidy program again, with another additional 150 places, shows how much it’s assisting businesses get more apprentices and trainees on the job, while also helping to build more houses locally.”

The program supports the growth of skilled workers across various trades, including carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and gasfitting.

Training and Workforce Development Minister Simone McGurk emphasised the government’s commitment to developing the building and construction workforce, stating, “The program is providing young Western Australians with a secure, paid training pathway to a well-paid job, while also enabling small to medium-sized businesses to access a pipeline of workers to meet their specific project needs.”

The expansion of the GTO Wage Subsidy Program is part of the Cook Government’s ongoing efforts to increase Western Australia’s residential construction workforce and accelerate the delivery of new homes throughout the state.