"Today's campaign push by the Prime Minister into the policy and politics of skills and training is loudly applauded", said Jim Barron CEO, Group Training Australia (GTA).

GTA is the national peak body representing over 150 group training organisations employing approximately 40,000 apprentices and trainees, making the network the single largest employer of apprentices and trainees in the country.

"Group training organisations underpin much of the nation's traditional trade base and GTA, like all other employer and industry groups, has been calling for urgent action to address the national skills shortage crisis confronting us."

"Today's announcements by the government are a great start to addressing the problem, particularly those dealing with financial incentives to encourage more young people to take up and complete a trade apprenticeship. Increased government investment in the young people taking up trade apprenticeships is long overdue. The tool kit allowance, whilst but one initiative, seems a straightforward and practical policy response to an obvious financial problem facing many young trade apprentices. And where a similar allowance already applies, the money will obviously still flow and be available for additional purchases and maintenance.

GTA hopes the Government will have much more to say on skill shortages and training throughout the remainder of the campaign, as it has been an issue only superficially addressed to date.

"As important as today's specific policy initiatives are on allowances and centres for trade skill excellence, GTA also welcomes the acknowledgment by the Prime Minister that to solve skill shortages and boost training, embedded community attitudes and culture must change, and the Australian government has a critical leadership role to play in this regard.

This is a significant step forward and will be warmly welcomed by all of us who have called for the commonwealth to take a far more active role in the skills and training agendas," said Mr Barron.

With the Prime Minister indicating that skills and training will be a critical part of the Coalition's fourth term agenda, GTA looks forward to hearing from Opposition Leader Mark Latham about how a Labor government would tackle these issues.

Earlier this year, Labor announced an additional 20,000 TAFE places. Whilst very welcome, GTA hopes that it is but one component of a more substantial Labor response to dealing with skill shortage and boosting training if any significant improvements are to be seen in the training sector.