Federal Labor member of parliament Ed Husic has claimed that a Labor government would turn around the fall in apprenticeships in Blacktown and Western Sydney, according to the Blacktown Sun.
Husic, the shadow employment spokesperson said that apprenticeships have fallen 44 per cent across his electorate of Chifley (which includes Blacktown) since 2013.
“Due to A$2.5 billion in Liberal and National cuts to TAFE and apprenticeship support, 1267 fewer apprenticeships have been taken up in this electorate,” Husic said.
“These cuts have come despite youth unemployment hitting 9.9 per cent and unemployment sitting a 6.1 per cent across Blacktown.”
Husic also claimed that the number of apprenticeship commencements in Australia has fallen by 10.5 per cent in the last 12 months.
The shadow spokesperson claimed that Labor will aim to have one in ten jobs on major projects filled by apprentices and work to maximise opportunities in the defence sector.
Education and training minister Simon Birmingham ruled in October that 478 courses that would no longer be eligible for the government’s student loan program.
“We want to ensure that the courses that Australian taxpayers are subsidising and that we are encouraging students to study, will optimise employment outcomes,” Birmingham said.
“Currently there are far too many courses that are being subsidised that are used simply to boost enrolments, or provide ‘lifestyle’ choices, but don’t lead to work.”