The Apprenticeship Boost has been extended to the end of December 2023. Apprenticeship Boost supports employers to keep early-stage apprentices and to hire new ones. Apprenticeship training helps to meet the strong demand for skilled tradespeople across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Over 43,000 apprentices have been supported by Apprenticeship Boost since it began in August 2020 as a COVID-19 Response and Recovery initiative. The $230 million additional allocation as part of Budget 2022 will help another 24,000 apprentices to start getting Apprenticeship Boost support and some 14,000 to keep being supported beyond 4 August 2022, when the initiative was meant to conclude.

To be eligible for Apprenticeship Boost, apprentices must be part of a TEC-approved New Zealand Apprenticeship or Managed Apprenticeship programme and have done less than 24 months of their training.

Over 17,000 employers are registered for Apprenticeship Boost, and over $346.5 million has been paid so far to support employers, their apprentices, and the New Zealand economy. As at the end of February 2022, there were over 56,000 apprentices funded by TEC, compared to 37,000 at the same time in 2020: an increase of 55 percent in two years.