The lives of people facing disadvantage across NSW are being changed for the better thanks to the NSW Land and Housing Corporation’s (LAHC) $80 million Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Cadetship program.
Since the program launched in 2020, 272 people have started earning and learning – well ahead of LAHC’s four-year target of 300 participants.
Participants in the program include people living in social housing, those experiencing unemployment or lacking work experience and single parents.
The program is also achieving positive representation of women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people over 35, who often struggle to secure opportunities due to the higher salaries sought by mature-age apprentices.
In an independent evaluation of the LAHC initiative published today, participants said the program had changed their lives and improved their future prospects.
All expressed an aspiration to finish their training and build careers in the relevant industry.
This is despite workforce interruptions and a move to online learning during COVID-19 restrictions in 2021.
Read the Evaluation of the Land and Housing Corporation Apprenticeship program report