FRESH from securing parliamentary approval for its $42 billion economic stimulus, the Federal Government is working on new labour market programs designed to provide more help to the unemployed.
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The Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said the Government was concerned employers would lay off apprentices as the economy slowed and was examining ways of providing more support for training and help with job seeking.
"What we know from past … downturns is that people down tools on training, only to find when the economy improves they are then crying out for skilled labour," Ms Gillard said. "We're doing everything we can to break that cycle."
Ms Gillard would not comment on reports the Government planned to subsidise apprentices' wages by up to a third. Government officials yesterday played down the possibility of large wage subsidies.
The ACTU secretary, Jeff Lawrence, called on the Government to adopt policies which improved training and skills development and provided a better safety net for people who lost their jobs or whose jobs were at risk.
Mark Davis
