Apprenticeship Fees Scrapped To Help Stop Skills Shortage

Aspiring tradies in NSW will no longer have to pay up to $3000 in fees to learn hospitality, plumbing, carpentry or bricklaying skills.

The $285 million plan, to be included in Tuesday's state budget, will fund 100,000 apprenticeships over the next four years and will be on offer in any course at TAFE and non-TAFE providers.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro says the program will remove all barriers for anyone considering an apprenticeship.

"We want to get rid of the final obstacle we believe is an impediment," Mr Barilaro told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

"This, I hope, will turbo charge how many people will look at becoming a tradie going forward."

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian believes the program will make the state the "tradie and jobs capital" of Australia.

The premier predicts TAFE enrolments will also increase "substantially" because of the program.

The investment has been welcomed by the NSW Business Chamber, which believes it will also help business owners who are keen to take on new staff.

Chief executive Stephen Cartwright hopes it will also improve the skills gap, which he says is especially prevalent in regional NSW.

"Getting young Australians into an apprenticeship and building a quality workforce is fundamental to future economic and social prosperity," he said in a statement.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the economy was "humming" and he wanted to ensure "we are equipping a workforce with the skills to meet future demand".

The 100,000 free apprenticeships will be on offer from July 1 for the next four years.