Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I know that he has a very deep understanding of the challenges that small businesses are facing, particularly in rural and regional communities such as his own in the electorate of Barker.

One of the ways that we're backing small businesses to create jobs is by ensuring that they have the skilled workers that they need now and in the future. We're doing that through the JobTrainer plan, because we understand that skilled workers are essential for productive businesses, particularly in regional Australia. Again, this is not just about a business bottom line. This is about people. It's mums, its dads, its grandparents, wanting to ensure that their kids have the opportunities to get a skilled and well-paid job in their local region.

There is a fantastic example of that in the member for Barker's electorate, with Bowhills Engineering in the Murraylands. This is a multigenerational family business that's been growing for over 40 years. It started as a machinery repair shop and evolved into a steel fabrication business that was supplying industries including mining, water, defence and construction. It's a great Australian manufacturing success story. Jodie from Bowhills is on the record as saying that she is 'stoked' with our JobTrainer plan and that it would support her business, which currently has 15 apprentices. She sums up the value of apprentices to her business: 'We've had 40 apprentices in total over the years, and we're incredibly proud of that. We identified years ago that our apprentices and trainees were our best and brightest, and we invested in that. There is so much potential within our local youth.'

That is exactly what JobTrainer is all about—developing the potential so that mums and dads can be assured that there is a pathway ahead for their kids. And it's helping businesses create every possible job that they can. JobTrainer is rapidly going to give more Australians access to free or low-cost training in areas of identified skills needs, but we're also investing $120 million to create apprenticeships in rural and regional Australia and $17.4 million in skills for mature-aged workers. It's all designed to make sure that small businesses and Australian industry have the skilled workforce that they need, because a skilled workforce is essential to the jobs now and of the future.