Tag: apprentice

Australia’s automotive aftermarket has won direct representation on the national body that shapes workforce training, even as the industry confronts familiar frustrations over skilled migration policy. Lesley Yates, director of government relations and advocacy at the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA), has been appointed to the 16-member Automotive Strategic Workforce Advisory Panel (SWAP) for the … Continue reading Aftermarket secures seat at national skills table as migration debate returns

Rowe Auto Electrical technician Charlie Rowe has been named in the Climate Control NewsNextGen 2026 top 20, a program run in partnership with the Australian Refrigeration Council that recognises the best technicians under 25 in Australia’s climate control industry. Mr Rowe is believed to be the first automotive technician selected for the program, which has … Continue reading NextGen recognition for VASA member’s apprentice

Several Australian automotive industry bodies have criticised the federal government’s decision to halve apprenticeship incentives from January 2026, warning that the cut will worsen the automotive sector’s chronic skills shortage and ultimately cost consumers through higher repair bills and longer wait times. The government plans to cut the Priority Hiring Incentive from $5000 to $2500 … Continue reading Auto industry slams apprenticeship incentive cuts

VASA member workshop Elizabeth Auto Electrics has made history by hosting the 100th dual trade apprentice enrolled through MTA Training and Employment’s nation-leading program. Alexander Adcock joined the northern Adelaide business as demand for advanced automotive skills accelerates in response to the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard and the rapid uptake of hybrid and … Continue reading VASA member hosts 100th dual trade apprentice through MTA SA/NT

Major vocational training reform in New Zealand promises to give the automotive sector greater control over apprenticeships and traineeships. It involves a departure from the centralised model under Te Pūkenga, the country’s Institute of Skills and Technology and aims to ensure work-based programmes are more closely aligned with industry needs and job realities. The shift … Continue reading NZ auto industry welcomes vocational training reform

Industry leaders and organisations are sounding alarms about a deepening skills shortage in the automotive sector, although there are glimmers of hope. According to Capricorn group CEO Brad Gannon, half of the automotive co-op’s members identified finding skilled staff and apprentices as their biggest business challenge. The shortage has persisted for more than a decade, … Continue reading Skills shortage insights

MTA Queensland has expanded the Women in Trades Apprenticeship Mentoring Program it launched in 2024, broadening support for female apprentices statewide to boost participation and retention in the automotive industry. Operated in partnership with mentoring provider Busy Sisters and funded by the Queensland Government to provide access to one-on-one mentoring and career guidance, the program … Continue reading MTAQ expands Women in Trades apprenticeship mentoring program

The automotive sector is driving a boost in the number of young Australians pursuing refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) as their career of first choice, reflected in the latest licensing data released by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC). Over the past five years, both Refrigerant Handling Licences (RHLs) and Refrigerant Trading Authorisations (RTAs) have experienced significant … Continue reading More young Australians choosing cool careers

In response to mounting pressure, the Australian Government has broadened the requirements to make it easier for apprentice mechanics to work on electric vehicles (EVs), along with offering an incentive to attract them – a move welcomed by the Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA), the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA), and the Australian Automotive … Continue reading Industry welcomes New Energy Apprenticeships payment broadening for EV technicians