Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): Apprentices are a significant investment for firms, particularly in the early years of their training, and they can be the first to be laid off when companies find that they have to tighten their belts. That's why today I announced that the Government will be providing businesses with up to $16,000 to help pay the cost of each apprentice for their first two years. Through the Apprenticeship Boost, up to an estimated 18,000 employers will be able to apply for funding of up to $12,000 per apprentice for their first 12 months of training, and up to $6,000 per apprentice for their second 12 months of training. The Apprenticeship Boost funding will run from August this year until April 2022. 