22 March 2021
To further support trades and trades training, the Government recently announced a four-month extension of the Apprenticeship Boost initiative until August 2022.
The initiative provides a wage subsidy for employers of new and currently enrolled, first and second-year apprentices and has been available since August 2020. It means an employer of a learner in the first year of their apprenticeship will be eligible for $1,000 per month, and an employer of an apprentice in their second year is eligible for $500 per month.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced the extension on Saturday 20 March.
"Apprenticeship Boost helps employers keep apprentices on when times are tough. This decision keeps more people employed and learning valuable vocational skills that will accelerate our economic recovery from COVID-19," he said.
"Extending the Apprenticeship Boost to run until August 2022 means employers can keep getting the subsidy for apprentices who are in their first two years of training. It also means employers who have apprentices starting over those extra four months can get some Apprenticeship Boost support as well, which could see more than 5,000 new apprentices able to benefit."
Since launching in August 2020, more than 10,000 employers have signed up and received almost $97 million in subsidies for more than 21,000 apprentices.
Read the full details and government press release here.
Apply for the Apprenticeship boost through WINZ here.
