This move will mean course fees for all new apprenticeships waived, saving students roughly $2000 a course.

Owner of Coleambally Automotive Centre Anthony Fattore recently gave his industry perspective on the recent budget announcement.

“I’m pretty happy about it as every little bit helps,” Mr Fattore said.

“It was a nice gesture of the government to do so.”

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Mr Fattore spoke of the difficulty in finding new and capable apprentices in Coleambally.

“It is difficult to get the right employee for the job. It is much more difficult, however, to keep that employee,” he said.

Mr Fattore said the waiving of fees will mean the money saved “can be applied towards wages” or elsewhere in the industry as needed.

He also commented on the difficulty for TAFE students to complete their work, noting students’ learning time at TAFE diminishing and therefore requiring further study at home.

Karen Bull, who works in invoicing at Coleambally Automotive Centre, also gave her perspective on the recent state budget announcement.

“Jobs only come up every 3 or 4 years, and there a very few businesses in Coly that can offer apprenticeships,” Ms Bull said.

Ms Bull has worked at the centre for over 2 years and has seen two of her three sons become apprentices.

She noted a number of positives and negatives facing both apprentices and businesses alike.

“On the plus side, apprentice mechanics are usually farm-based, and usually have a basic mechanical knowledge before they commence work – makes them easier to teach,” she said.

“On the negative, when a school leaver can be paid $20 per hour (or above) for casual work, finding someone who is willing to be paid much less as an apprentice is difficult.” 

She said local mechanical businesses “cannot compete with casual rates”.

“Because of previous ‘pushes’ by governments to keep our Universities full, and due to the low wages apprentices receive, there is a definite hole in the industry.”