Mr Gillman has been appointed to the locally-based role in training services and already has 18 apprentices in industries including manufacturing, engineering and automotive industries under his watch.

He started his working life as an automotive machinery apprentice with Repco before joining the Australian Industry Group’s North-East Victoria and Riverina headquarters from recent positions at Uncle Toby’s and SPC.

The service overseen by Mr Gillman includes advertising vacancies on a company’s behalf, interviewing applicants, verifying an applicants’ skill level and short-listing candidates for an apprenticeship.

“All a business needs to do is provide a safe workplace and on the job training for an apprentice,” he said.

Once an apprentice has been placed with a host company, follow-up coaching and mentoring is provided by Mr Gillman.

The payroll and administration functions handled by the AIG include WorkCover matters, payment of wages, management of leave entitlements, superannuation requirements, monitoring on and off the job training and conducting regular visits and performance appraisals.

The program already employs more than 600 apprentices and trainees in Australia.

“We help host companies address skill shortages by recruiting and managing apprentices and trainees on their behalf,” Mr Gillman said.

“I think I’ve got a good idea of what the needs of business are, having been an apprentice, trained apprentices in the workplace and managed apprentices.”