Will any young people step aboard? Boat repairers and niche industries seek apprentices

Business partners Sam Kennady and Fredrik Andreason have been repairing boats across the world for decades.

Mr Kennady repaired America's Cup-style racing yachts in Washington before founding the Illawarra Shipwright Company in 2018 and Mr Andreason previously repaired boats in Sweden.

"We've been flat out since we opened our doors it's been both here and in the [Shell Cove] marina," Mr Kennady said.

The annual recreational boat sales grew by more than eight per cent across Australia in 2022 to $9.55 billion.

But a disparity in the demand for skilled boat workers and the number of skilled staff, the trade has been listed in the federal government's Australian Apprenticeship Priority List.

One reason, Mr Andreason believes, is the amount of manufacturing work being outsourced overseas.

"All that skill slowly disappears after 15 years when it hasn't been built in the country and that's what we're seeing now," he said.

"Same with the other trades on the government list ... the skill is disappearing from the country no one knows how to do it anymore."

Mr Andreason last trained an apprentice six years ago and said then, there was just a handful of people across the state studying the course at TAFE NSW.

"It's not a very visible trade either a lot of people that think of trades and think of plumbers, electricians, and carpenters they don't think shipwright," Mr Kennady said

The median age of boat builders and shipwrights is 41.

The two men repair boats across the Illawarra and manufacture fibreglass, with just one other employee.

Mangerton man Angus Duncan started working with the pair recently and is looking to start an apprenticeship.

The 24-year-old started the job because his dad works with fibreglass.

"That's just all I ever smelled as a kid and all I ever wanted to really do."

In NSW the certificate three in marine craft construction is only offered at Ultimo TAFE NSW.

To assist with the cost-of-living crisis and skills shortages the federal government has expanded the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List to include 19 new occupations, such as ambulance officer, architectural draftsperson, sound technician, flight attendant or nursing support worker,

Eligible full-time apprentices may receive up to $10,000 and employers up to $15,00 throughout their apprenticeship.

Apprentices training in the 60 priority occupations can also apply for interest-free loans of up to $24,492 over the course of their apprenticeship and will receive a 20 per cent discount on their total loans once complete.

As of January 1, the program includes non-trade apprentices for the first time.

"With critical skills shortages in sectors like early childhood education, aged care and disability care, it's never been more important to support priority apprentices and trainees to complete their studies," Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O'Connor said.