Building apprentices get $10,000, employers $5,000
Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles said at a doorstop interview in Bendigo on 5 October 2026 that building apprentices receive $10,000, paid in five instalments, while their employer receives $5,000 to cover the cost of taking on an apprentice. The payments are part of the Key Apprenticeship Program, which Mr Giles said has been running for 14 months. Together the two payments add up to $15,000, but that is split between the apprentice and the employer, not paid to each.
Who is affected: building apprentices and small businesses
The program is aimed at building apprentices and their employers. Mr Giles said small businesses make up the overwhelming majority of businesses in the housing construction sector, and that the $5,000 is meant particularly to encourage them to take on apprentices. He was joined in Bendigo by local MP Lisa Chesters, who said the payment is a bit extra in the pay packet to help young people complete their trade.
How many building apprentices have signed up
Mr Giles said 38,000 Australians have responded to the program nationally, including 11,918 in regional Australia. Ms Chesters said more than 3,000 people in regional Victoria are enrolled. Mr Giles also cited Master Builders figures that every qualified tradesperson means 2.5 houses being built.
What to check before you apply
The announcement came in a ministerial interview rather than program guidelines, so the eligibility rules, the trades covered and how payments are claimed are not set out in the transcript. The government’s separate media release on the program points to apprenticeships.gov.au for details, so building apprentices and employers should check there before relying on these figures.
Related NewsCop coverage: Waiting to train new builders not an option, says WA housing industry (August 2026)
General information only, not legal advice. Check the official source before acting.
Source: Minister for Skills and Training, doorstop interview, Bendigo (5 October 2026).
