The Hunter Business Chamber and Business NSW are calling on the Government to offer immediate support to employers struggling to provide apprenticeships and work opportunities for young people across the Hunter Region and New South Wales.
A recent report produced by Business NSW suggests the national apprenticeship intake for 2020 will fall to 151,000 from 97,000 last year, a decline of more than 30 per cent.
Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes says 54,000 individuals are likely to miss out on crucial opportunities to upskill, reskill, or find a job, while thousands of businesses will also lose out on the chance for valuable employees.
"If this continues, not only are we working off a low base to restore apprenticeship and traineeship numbers, but we'll be looking at a significant skills gap in four to five years time," Mr Hawes said.
The Skilling Australia for a better future report recommends an industry-supported pre-apprenticeship program and subsidies for Group Training Organisations will be necessary to help the sector recover from such a decline.
"There needs to be consistency and significant improvement in the funding so that businesses don't baulk at taking on apprentices and trainees when they have that opportunity," Mr Hawes said.
"We know that's happening, and it shouldn't happen, given the tremendous advantages of having trainees and apprentices come through our school system in the trades in which they traditionally operate."
Despite the recent shock faced by the entire economy, Mr Hawes says the decline speaks to wider issues which existed before COVID-19 and have only been exacerbated by the pandemic.
"It's not just about the wishes of the guys and the girls that want to go into those sorts of opportunities," Mr Hawes said. "It's about businesses being able to provide them with opportunities and the education system being able to point them in that direction."
