Apprenticeship Innovation Fund

Attracting more people to trades is critical to supporting Victoria’s recovery. The Apprenticeship Innovation Fund is part of a growth strategy to boost commencements and ensure retrenched apprentices and trainees complete their training.

The $8 million fund supports new approaches to the apprenticeship and traineeship model, undertaken in partnership with industry and unions. The Apprenticeship Innovation Fund includes a specific stream, with funding of $5 million, to support innovative projects that encourage more women into apprenticeships, including in the building and construction industry.

Projects announced so far include:

Portrait of Jodie a female apprentice

Accelerating Women in Auto

Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce program designed to increase the number of women commencing apprenticeships in the automotive industry.

WAVE Women in Electrical

Invites 100 women to a Try a Trade Day, with the aim of recruiting 30 women to start a pre-apprenticeship scheme. Run by the Electrical Trades Union.

Women in Plumbing

In partnership with Master Plumbers, the program champions a connected community of aspiring female students, apprentices and plumbers to address participation rates for women in plumbing.

CareersPlus

Trades Women Australia program providing an online platform for women, influencers and employers to raise awareness and connect women with apprentice and trainee job opportunities.

Women in STEM

This project, managed by the Australian Industry Group, aims to recruit and support 30 women in engineering apprenticeships, and 20 women in traineeships in ICT and Industry 4.0.

SPRINKS
Female Specific Apprenticeship Pathway

In partnership with the National Fire Industry Association, this project aims to recruit 30 female school leavers into the traditionally male-dominated fire protection industry.

Women and Their Trade

NECA program designed to provide career opportunities for women in the electrical industry, supporting 25 female apprentices with a special focus on mature-age candidates.

Women on Track

Recruits 10 women into rail industry traineeships combining structured learning with on-the-job experience in High Capacity Metro Trains at Downer Group.

Women Only
Multi-trade
Pre-apprenticeship

Delivers eight all-female pre-apprenticeship programs for 120 women across Victoria, including plumbing, carpentry, IT and landscaping. With Apprenticeship Employment Network.