$230m for trade apprenticeships

The Government will put $230 million into its apprenticeship boost scheme, Education Minister Chris Hipkins has said, but it will halve the subsidy for its first year. Hipkins announced the scheme, which subsidised employers for taking on apprentices, would be extended until the end of next year, in a post-Cabinet announcement in Wellington at the Beehive yesterday. It means another 24,000 apprentices will get support and 14,000 will continue to be supported, however, the subsidy for the first year of an apprenticeship has been dropped from $1000 amonth to $500. The second year subsidy is also $500. About 17,000 employers were involved in the programme, which Hipkins said had been successful. The scheme targeted the first two years of an apprenticeship.