Skills Incentive Scheme

Skills Incentive Scheme to conclude
Coal Services introduced the Skills Incentive Scheme (SIS) in 2015-16 with the aim of:

• Contributing to growing the coal industry and overall NSW skills base
• Encouraging employers to hire apprentices
• Hiring and training apprentices will improve workers compensation outcomes over time, as research indicates trained workers are less likely to be injured at work.

Under the SIS, Coal Mines Insurance policyholders receive $2,000 per eligible apprentice at the end of a policy period to support the hiring and training of apprentices and reinforcing safe work practices as they enter the industry. The SIS payment is capped at 30% of the premium payable for the relevant period.

Since the SIS was introduced, Coal Services has returned $2,280,189 to NSW coal industry employers in support of their employment of apprentices and achieving the above aims.

Coal Services has reviewed the program, its aims and outcomes, and determined the current policy year, 2019-20, will be the final year of operation for the SIS. It was also noted that there are a number of other state and federally-funded apprentice incentive programs designed to support the growth of Australia’s skills base through the employment of apprentices. Consideration is being given to alternative employer incentive programs more closely aligned with improvements in injury prevention, injury management and return to work outcomes that could be implemented in the future.

If you employ apprentices to work in the NSW coal industry, you may be eligible for incentive payments under the Skills Incentive Scheme.

To be eligible for the Skills Incentive Scheme you must:

1. have a current CMI workers compensation policy
2. be up-to-date with all policy premium payments
3. employ an eligible apprentice that works in the NSW coal industry and is covered under your CMI workers compensation policy
4. have entered into an approved State Training Services or NSW Department of Education and Communities Training (NSW DET) contract with the apprentice. The apprentice must be in a registered trade and be identified in the training contract. A copy of the each apprentice’s contract is to be provided to CMI.
5. complete an actual wage declaration form and return it to CMI before 31 August for the policy period.

For the 2019-20 policy year an additional requirement has been added to the eligibility criteria for policyholders. This will ensure Skills Incentive Scheme payments can be made to eligible employers no later than October each year.

A policyholder must meet the following criteria for a Skills Incentive Scheme payment to be made:

• Hold a current CMI workers compensation policy
• Policy premium payments are up to date
• Employ apprentices who are in an approved training contract and are working in the NSW coal industry
• Have entered into an approved State Training Services or NSW Department of Education and Communities Training (NSW DET) contract with the apprentice. The apprentice must be in a registered trade and be identified in the training contract
• Provide a copy of each eligible apprentice’s contract to CMI with a completed 2020-21 annual wages declaration before 31 August 2020.