Fee increases for Registered Training Organisations announced by the Australian Skills Quality Authority have caused some concern for many workers and representatives in the skills industry.

Reports say changes recently announced by ASQA could as much as triple fees levelled on small training providers, threatening the viability of hundreds of small and medium businesses Australia wide.

The decision has caught the ire of Master Builders Australia, with MBA Chief Executive Wilhelm Harnisch saying the impact will be felt hard in the building and construction industry, which relies on small and medium RTOs for skills and training in regional areas.

“The building industry already faces an uphill training enough apprentices to meet future demand and ASQA’s new fees could not have come at a worse time when apprentice numbers have fallen by 32%,” Mr Harnisch said, “Also alarming is that many of the small RTOs whose viability will be threatened by the fee hike provide essential safety and high risk licensing training. The industry cannot afford to lose this vital knowledge and capacity.”

Master Builders believes the changes will have the most impact in the rural and regional areas, where their services are most heavily relied-upon.