Support Package – Building and Construction Industry

A $154.5m relief package to support tenants, landlords and the construction industry has been announced, of which the WA Government has set aside $24.5m for the construction workforce.

Key Points: construction

  • Immediate, one-off payment of $2,000 to employers of existing apprentices and trainees currently receiving Construction Training Fund (CTF) grant payments.
  • A new grants scheme worth $9.5m will be introduced to assist employers to retain their existing apprentices, with payments beginning from 1 June this year, backdated from 1 April 2020.
  • Payments will range from $250 per month to $500 per month, per apprentice or trainee, depending on the trades facing the most critical skills shortages in the industry.
  • This will supplement CTF’s existing grants scheme for a period of six months, with a review after three months to gauge the effectiveness of the temporary model
  • Employers currently receiving CTF grants for apprentices and trainees in employment will be eligible for the new grant scheme and will need to provide evidence of the apprentice’s employment, such as a current payslip.
  • Apprentices and trainees employed in the industry can claim up to $1,000 to support the costs of undertaking short courses to assist them in upskilling

Further details can be found at www.ctf.wa.gov.au

This new package complements the $1.7 billion in relief measures already announced for businesses and households. Should you require assistance with the application of any of the stimulus and relief measures, please contact your local RSM adviser.