GTA condemns funding cuts to Joint Group Training Scheme

The government’s decision to scrap the Joint Group Training Scheme will affect thousands of apprentices and trainees, small businesses and communities, Group Training Australia (GTA) says.

Both Jim Barron, GTA’s Chief Executive, and Naomi Dinnen, Executive Officer of the Group Training Association of NSW and ACT, condemned the funding cut.

“This comes as a shock and a tremendous setback to efforts to equip young people with the skills they need to gain employment,” Barron and Dinnen said.

“It will impact apprentices and trainees, small businesses and the communities in which they work.”

The scheme provides funding to 44 training organisations (GTOs) that employ around 8000 apprentices and trainees in NSW. It provides funding to GTOs to employ apprentices and trainees, manage their placement to host employers and ensure they receive appropriate training.

“The scheme has been supported by all major political parties and accepted as a key element in helping employers to take on apprentices and trainees, and assist them to complete their training and find sustainable employment,” said Barron and Dinnen.

“This is an extremely retrograde step, taken with no consultation or forewarning, and one which works against the aspiration of creating a highly skilled workforce for NSW.”