Australian Brick and Blocklaying Training Foundation  (ABBTF) is extending the special BrickStart bonus from 12 November 2010 to 31 March 2011 in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT.  

ABBTF's General Manager, Geoff Noble says that the decision to extend BrickStart has been made irrespective of whether or not the Federal Government decides to extend their Kickstart Bonus.  

The BrickStart bonus is given to any employer taking on a new bricklaying apprentice.  

While the ABBTF has urged the Federal Government to extend the Kickstart Bonus so that employers get as much support as possible to help the industry avoid a skills shortage, the organisation has decided to extend BrickStart in Queensland, NSW and the ACT where there is an urgent need to attract more bricklaying apprentices.  

BrickStart has no age restriction so anyone regardless of age who signs on a new apprentice will get the BrickStart incentive.

Eligible employers who take on bricklaying apprentices can get a total benefit of $12,000 including the normal ABBTF $6,000 subsidy, the $2,000 BrickStart bonus and the Federal Government's $4,000 grant for employing apprentices.

Geoff Noble concludes by saying that it makes good business sense for employers to take on bricklaying apprentices as they will help to improve the productivity of any bricklaying business.