MEA advancing apprenticeships

Master Electricians Australia (MEA) is getting behind an incentive to boost electrical industry apprenticeships to address the industry’s skills shortage. The MEA has partnered with Add Staff and the Queensland Government to back the Advancing Apprenticeships program — a 12-month campaign to create hundreds of job opportunities for young people, particularly across regional Queensland.

MEA CEO Malcolm Richards said industry demand for both electricians and air-conditioning and refrigeration technicians is currently outstripping the available supply of skilled tradespeople.

“This demand comes in the face of rising consumer demand for energy conservation, renewable energy sources, battery technology, and home automation and connectivity,” Richards said.

“On top of this, commercial and manufacturing industries need skilled technicians who can track energy use and find ways to reduce consumption costs as the price of power continues to rise.”

As part of the Queensland-Government-funded initiative, MEA and Add Staff will be working across Queensland to target all businesses within the electrotechnology sector while also creating awareness of the opportunities available to young people.

A series of roadshows across Queensland will be staged to create awareness of the range of financial and non-financial supports available for businesses to hire an apprentice, while schools, careers fairs and job expos will be targeted to create more awareness of the opportunities available to young people and their families.

“Without the training and development of trade skills in these industries, there will be an increased shortage of tradespeople to deliver upcoming infrastructure projects, such as solar farms and the nbn,” Richards explained.

“Shortages in these critical infrastructure areas could result in delays to a host of projects across all sectors, including residential, commercial, construction and industrial, with ongoing economic impacts for the state.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/HighwayStarz