Civil Construction Pilot Program

Civil Construction Pilot Program – CTF Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy

In September 2021, the Minister for Education and Training approved the conversion of nine civil construction traineeships into apprenticeships under the four-year Civil Construction Pilot Program (CCPP), which concluded in October 2025.

To address the wage-gap created by the transition from traineeships to apprenticeships through the CCPP and ensure employers and apprentices were not disadvantaged during the pilot program, CTF committed $5.996 million through wage-gap subsidies and increased Employer Grant funding.

The CTF Age Wage Gap Subsidy officially closed to new admissions on 31 October 2025. No new apprentices can be registered for this program from 1 November 2025 onward. Over four years, this CTF program supported employers of junior civil construction apprentices (under 21 years at commencement) who paid their apprentice at or above the previous traineeship award rate.

From 2021 to 2025, CTF’s Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy has delivered strong outcomes. This funding supported a smooth transition from traineeships to apprenticeships, enhanced the quality of training within the civil construction sector, and fulfilled its objective of ensuring a steady pipeline of apprentices for both State Government and private sector civil infrastructure projects.

As the four-year Civil Construction Pilot Program has concluded, the associated CTF Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy has also ended as of 31 October 2025. Employers with apprentices enrolled in the program by 31 October 2025 will continue receiving support until those apprentices complete their training.

The CTF Employer Grant, which provides financial support to Western Australian construction employers in hiring an apprentice, will continue to be available to civil construction employers. Following increases to the Employer Grant base rate made on 1 July 2024, eligible employers can receive up to $36,500 through this grant program.

Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy Program Conclusion

The Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy, funded by CTF to support the four-year Civil Construction Pilot Program, has ended as planned on 31 October 2025. These subsidies have played a key role in supporting the transition of nine civil construction traineeships into apprenticeships under this pilot program.

Thank you to all the employers, apprentices and industry partners who took part in this program. Your involvement has been vital in strengthening civil construction training pathways and building a safe, skilled and sustainable civil construction workforce for WA.

Employers with apprentices already participating in the program will continue to receive the wage-gap subsidy from CTF until their apprentice completes their training.

The registration deadline for new apprentices under the Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy has passed. Only apprentices formally registered in WAAMS on or before 31 October 2025 remain eligible for support. This applies to junior civil apprentices (under 21 years at commencement) undertaking the qualifications covered by the program.

Apprentices registered after 31 October 2025 are not eligible for the Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy program.

All eligible employers and apprentices will continue to benefit from CTF’s ongoing funding programs and support initiatives, including the CTF Employer Grant.

The Employer Grant provides up to $36,500 in financial assistance to support employers in hiring an apprentice. At 2025 base rates, employers can receive $12,500 for an eligible apprentice on a two-year qualification and $15,000 for a three or four-year qualification. Additional bonuses are available for apprentices who have completed a pre-apprenticeship, live regionally, are female, Indigenous, or mature-aged.

Junior Age Wage-Gap Subsidy: Program Update

Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy (under 21 years at commencement)

Under the Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy, eligible employers could receive a wage-gap subsidy from CTF if their apprentice commenced in one of the new apprenticeships (see Table 1) or transitioned from a traineeship to the apprenticeship on or after 3 September 2021.

Employers participating in the Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy are required to pay their apprentice at or above the previous traineeship award rate.

To participate in the program, eligible junior apprentices were required to be formally registered in the Western Australian Apprenticeship Management System (WAAMS) on or befoere 31 October 2025.

Impacted Qualifications

Table 1: Qualifications available under the CCPP:

Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy: Program Closed to New Applications

The Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy is now closed to new applications. All new apprentice registrations for this program had to be completed in the Western Australian Apprenticeship Management System (WAAMS) by 31 October 2025.

Employers with apprentices who were formally registered by this date will continue to receive wage-gap subsidies for those apprentices until they complete their training.

CTF also provides an Employer Grant of up to $36,500 to financially support Western Australian construction employers in hiring an apprentice. This is an ongoing program that will continue following the cessation of the Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidy. Find out more about the CTF Employer Grant here.

CTF Support for Employers and Apprentices

Employers of civil construction apprentices will continue to be supported through the CTF Employer Grant program, which provides up to $36,500 to financially support Western Australian construction employers in hiring an apprentice. This is an ongoing program that will continue following the cessation of the Junior Age Wage Gap Subsidies. Find out more about the CTF Employer Grant here.

Civil construction apprentices can continue to access direct funding from CTF through programs including:

• Apprentice Support Bonus - up to $3,000 in bonus payments while training
• Apprentice Tool Allowance - up to $2,000 back on essential tools and safety equipment for eligible construction apprentices
• Upskilling & Short Course Funding - provides funding for upskilling and short-course training for people who work in construction and want to future-proof their jobs.

These programs are part of CTF’s ongoing commitment to funding training and building skills that keep WA’s construction industry moving for