NECA welcomes continued support for housing and energy apprentices

The National Electrical and Communications Association welcomes the Federal Government’s decision to extend employer incentives for apprentices in housing and energy related trades. This decision recognises the critical role of skills investment in lifting productivity and meeting Australia’s housing and energy infrastructure needs.

From 1 January 2026, employers who engage apprentices in housing and energy trades will continue to receive $5,000 in support payments. This will help ease the escalating costs of training the next generation of skilled workers at a time of persistent labour shortages.

Recent data from BuildSkills Australia confirms the industry requires an additional 116,000 workers of which 35,000 electricians are required to meet current housing demand alone. This reinforces the scale and urgency of workforce action required.

NECA Head of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs, Kent Johns, said the decision directly supports the capacity of the electrotechnology sector to deliver housing supply, energy transition projects and long-term economic growth.

“Productivity in construction and energy infrastructure begins with people. Without a strong and continuous pipeline of apprentices, Australia simply cannot meet its housing and energy commitments,” Mr Johns said.

“Electricians sit at the core of both the housing build task and the national energy transition. Labour shortages across our trade remain severe and are now one of the most significant constraints on project delivery across the country.”

NECA looks forward to working closely with the Federal Government and State and Territory governments to ensure apprenticeship policy settings deliver sustained workforce growth, improved completion rates and long term productivity across the electrical and communications sector.