Funding for training is available from:

• Australian, and State and Territory Governments,
• professional associations and industry organisations, for example the Royal College of Nurses or industry advisory bodies,
• some private training sector providers and colleges.

Funding for apprenticeships and traineeships

The Australian Government provides incentives to employers of apprentices and trainees. Funding amounts start from $1,375 with extra financial assistance available for employers who:

• take on an Australian School-based Apprentice
• employ Australian Apprentices in industries with current skill shortages in rural and regional Australia
• employ Australian Apprentices in emerging and innovative industries
• employ and train a person with a disability
• employ and train Mature Aged Workers
• take on a woman in a non-traditional Australian Apprenticeship
• work in drought declared areas.

State and territory governments also administer other funding schemes designed to assist employers and their trainees or apprentices. These include:

• travel and accommodation allowances
• tutorial assistance, interpreter and mentor services
• funds for the purchase of essential tools and protective equipment
• incentives or exemptions for payroll tax and workers' compensation
• funding to address skills shortage, growth or emerging industries within the state or territory.

Indirect assistance is also available through group training organisations (GTOs), which provide a cost-efficient way for businesses to hire Australian Apprentices.

The GTO acts as the primary employer and selects the Australian Apprentice, manages the training and takes responsibility for all paperwork connected with wages, allowances, superannuation, workers compensation, sick leave, holiday pay and other employment benefits.

Contact your local Australian Apprenticeships Centre to find out what funding you are eligible to receive.

Targeted funding programs

Australian, state and territory governments run programs to address specific regional or industry needs for example, to support growth in areas where there is a skill shortage.

An example of industry-focused funding is Go for IT - a Victorian program aimed at assisting people, especially young people, gain employment through an IT, communications or multimedia traineeship.

Some states and territories also provide funding to develop skills in small business. For example, the Tasmanian Government provides funding to small businesses which create jobs for Australian Apprentices in existing and new industries where there is a need for a highly skilled workforce.

Similarly, the South Australian Government's Ticket to Training program assists small business increase specific skills that benefit their operations. It achieves this by giving small business the choice of training provider, the type of training and where and when it will be delivered.

For details of industry funding initiatives that apply to your business, contact the training authority in your state or territory.

Training for special needs

Funding for training is available through programs targeted at disadvantaged groups or people with special needs.

Wage Assistance, an Australian Government initiative, provides a subsidy of up to $4,400 to Australian employers who give an ongoing job to an eligible Indigenous job seeker.

Another initiative, Structured Training and Employment Projects (STEP), provides funding for structured and accredited training to employers who take on Indigenous workers.

The Australian Government's Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program provides workers with English language, literacy and numeracy skills. Funding is also available for enterprise-based language and literacy training to allow workers to make a full contribution to their workplace and to access mainstream workplace training.

Businesses that employ people with disabilities can receive funding and subsidies under the Australian Government's Supported Wage System (SWS). The SWS allows employers to pay a wage that corresponds to a disabled person's rate of productivity with the Government making further contributions to their income.

Under the SWS a payment of $1000 to employers can be made to offset the cost of employing a worker with a disability.Funding of up to $5000 is also available for essential workplace modifications or special equipment that will assist people with disabilities get jobs.

Employers who hire unemployed mature-age job seekers can also be eligible for wage subsidies.

Other sources of funding

Training awards, scholarships, and other funding initiatives are sometimes offered by private training providers, colleges or professional organisations and associations. This form of financial assistance is often highly competitive and targeted to specific candidates such as those already working in certain industries.

Financial assistance may come in the form of:

• funding to offset training costs including, for example, enrolment fees and materials
• professional development scholarships at a particular training institution.

Contact your preferred training provider for information on funding programs available to you.

Australian Apprenticeships Centres

Australian Apprenticeships Centres can help you find out which incentives and subsidies your are eligible for.  Find your local Australian Apprenticeships Centre.