Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan has praised Crescent Head Country Club’s decision to continue to employ local people in apprenticeships.

Mr Conaghan visited the club to meet with secretary manager Colan Ryan and board chairperson Pam Bryant on Thursday January 21.

He also met with greenkeeper Jesse Meehan, who completed his apprenticeship at the club and current apprentice greenkeeper Mason Powick.

“The Crescent Head Country Club has a long and rich history in employing apprentices,” he said.

“Over the years, the club has utilised Federal Government wage subsidies to employ its apprentices. These include the Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy trial (AAWS), Supporting Apprentices and Trainees Wage Subsidy (SAT) and Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC).

“In October last year, the Federal Government announced $1.2 billion to encourage employers to take on apprentices and trainees through the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy.”

Mr Ryan said Jesse had completed his apprenticeship while Mason joined the team in December 2020.

“In the bistro we have also employed Shaye Moran as an apprentice too,” he said.

Mrs Bryant said the club will continue to offer apprenticeships to young people or mature-aged job seekers.

“We aim to employ the best person for the job and that doesn’t worry us if that is a younger person or someone who is mature-aged,” she said.

Mr Conaghan said the latest ABS figures showed that the Australian labour market continued to recover at the end of 2020, with employment increasing by 50,000 in December.

Full time jobs increased by 35,700 in December, meaning almost 120,000 full-time jobs have come back over November and December accounting for the majority of employment growth over this period, he added.