Apprenticeship Boost

This is great news for our industry and provides reassurance for employers to keep existing apprentices and take on new ones, during a period of uncertainty.

We are hugely supportive of this as it will enable us all to work together to continue growing the skills pipeline, both in capacity and training. 

What is Apprenticeship Boost?

Apprenticeship Boost is a payment available through the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) to tautoko employers of apprentices in the first two years of their training.  This is available for employers with existing and new apprentices.

Employers can receive up to 24 months of support with payments of $500 per month per apprentice, up to a maximum of $12,000 for each apprentice who is enrolled in a BCITO Te Pūkenga Level 4 qualification that contains 120 credits or more.

Example: For an apprentice 3 months into their apprenticeship the employer is entitled to $500 per month, for 20 months.

You can get Apprenticeship Boost for a maximum of 24 months per apprentice or until the initiative ends in December 2024.

BCITO Te Pūkenga apprenticeships that qualify under this criteria are:

• Architectural Aluminium Joinery Installer with Repairs & Maintenance
• Concrete Construction
• Frame & Truss Detailing V1
• Trowel Trades - Ferro-cement Tank Manufacture

All apprenticeships in:

• Brick & Block Laying
• Carpentry 
• Exterior Plastering 
• Flooring
• Glazing (excluding Automotive Reglazing)
• Glass Processing
• Interior Systems
• Joinery
• Painting & Decorating
• Resin Flooring Application
• Stonemasonry (Construction, Monumental Masonry and Natural Stone Fixtures and Fittings)
• Tiling

When is this available?

Applications are open now. Apprenticeship Boost is available until 31 December 2024.

How to apply for Apprenticeship Boost

You will need to follow the instructions on the MSD website and create an account to get your tono started.

What you need to provide to MSD 

You’ll need to have a business MyIR account. If you don’t already have one you can set it up on the Inland Revenue website.  This is needed to validate the email address used in any Apprenticeship Boost application for your business.

Your apprentice(s) will need to sign a consent form.

You'll need to supply these details in your application:

• Business trading name
• Business legal name
• Bank account details
• Business Inland Revenue number
• GST number (if you're GST registered).

You'll need your apprentice's:

• name
• date of birth
• Inland Revenue number
• qualification name that they're training for
• training start date.

Most of this information is on the Training Agreement you and your apprentice both signed at the beginning of your apprentice's training. 

You'll need to re-confirm with MSD each month, so they know the information about you and your apprentice(s) is correct and you still qualify for the payment.