MINOR, albeit important, changes have been made to the federal government’s Australian Apprenticeship Priority List with the addition of two trades aimed at filling job vacancies.

The move this week was welcomed by the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) that said it was a bid to ease critical industry skills shortages.

VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym told GoAutoNews Premium that “this is about the government listening to the automotive industry.”

“They have extended the priority list, adding two trades, which will give additional support for automotive business owners and those seeking to enter the trade in a bid to slow the increasing labour gaps in the industry,” he said.

“While apprenticeship completion rates have declined over the past decade, VACC is proud its automotive apprenticeships departments in Victoria and Tasmania have completion rates of 80 per cent.

“Business owners, however, find attracting staff, particularly apprentices, increasingly challenging.

“Boosting the number of occupations on the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List to include all major automotive roles is an excellent outcome, as are the incentives offered to business owners and apprentices.

“We hope this helps turn things around for the automotive industry.”

Minister for skills and training, the Hon. Brendan O’Connor, said in a statement that skills shortages posed one of Australia’s greatest economic challenges.

“Wherever you look, there are skills gaps, with the latest analysis showing 47 per cent of trade and technician occupations are in shortage, up from 42 per cent in 2021,” Minister O’Connor said.

“Providing targeted support to increase the uptake and completion of apprenticeships in critical sectors is essential to plugging the skills gaps we face.”

Mr Gwilym said there was still a need to speed up the process for bringing skilled automotive technicians in from overseas.

He said there should also be sufficient organisations that can make assessments of skilled migrants and work quickly to reduce the time it takes for these workers to start in Australia.
Mr Gwilym said that the federal government’s Australian Apprenticeship Priority List grows from 77 to 111 – as part of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive Scheme – and now includes all major automotive categories “something for which the VACC has successfully lobbied.”

The Priority List now adds vehicle body builders and vehicle trimmers. These are added to the auto electricians; diesel mechanics – heavy vehicle/farm machinery; motor mechanics (including motorcycle); panel beaters; vehicle painters; small engine mechanics; welders; fitters – diesel/mobile plant; metal machinists – engine reconditioners; and metal fabricators.

He said there was a growing industry in the trimming of vintage and collectible vehicles.

But, he said, Australia has to import vehicle trimmers “because we just don’t have enough young kids going into vehicle trimming in Australia.”

“The training provision is also extremely lean. Vehicle body building is the same in that there are only a couple of providers.”

Apprentices will continue to receive direct payments of up to $5000 annually while a wage subsidy of up to $15,000 is available for their employers.

“VACC has made governments aware of the skills and labour crisis in the automotive industry for years, so we’re pleased the Albanese Government has listened and made important changes we hope will ease critical labour shortages,” Mr Gwilym said.

By Neil Dowling