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Apprentices feel the growth

FabTec apprentices Brock Miani (left) and William Gilby.

Apprentices working in Broken Hill are thriving in their jobs and helping to improve the employment rate.

The number of apprenticeships and traineeships has risen significantly, benefiting local businesses and the state’s economy.

William Gilby and Brock Miani said they both appreciate the opportunity to start their careers at FabTec.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to get this apprenticeship,” William said. “Now that I have it, I have a good career ahead of me.”

“Last year, I did a TAFE course in welding, and that’s when I realised I like this and wanted to do it as a job,” Brock said. “FabTec was taking first-year apprentices, and I thought I’d give it a go.”

The pair are in their first-year apprenticeships at the steel fabrication business located on Crystal Street.

FabTec’s proprietor, Scott Campbell, said apprenticeships are a great way for people to enter the workforce and welcomed Government initiatives that supported this recruitment.

“It’s a good pathway into the workforce…those skills can be used very widely in later life in different areas,” he said.

“It’s a wonderful incentive, and it’s really doing wonders for our town to get our young people trained.”

The business has taken onboard three apprentices and is on the hunt for more applicants to fill vacancies.

Mr Campbell said he is happy to see the current apprentices growing in their roles and developing new skills.

“We a very fortunate to have such good apprentices at this early stage – they are going well,” he said.

Recent data from National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) shows 107,845 people were in-training across NSW, a 29 per cent increase from the year before.

The Apprenticeship and Traineeship September 2021 quarter report also revealed a huge increase in women commencing apprenticeships and traineeships, up 91 per cent in the 12 months.

VERTO, an apprenticeship network provider that services Broken Hill, said it had experienced a massive uptake at its local branch over the last two years.

CEO Ron Maxwell is pleased that the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC) and Completing Apprenticeship Commencements (CAC) wage subsidy programs will be extended until June.

“These subsidies offer much-needed support to Australian businesses that employ apprentices,” he said.

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