Good question! I'm sure the Australian Surf Craft Industry Association would have had some info on this, but they haven't been active for a few years.

​​​​​​​https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-Organization/Australi…

Spoke to a very big Sydney shaper recently and he's taken on a bunch of apprentices under the resurrected apprenticeship scheme, and in fact, there are quite a few shapers also using the program.

The shaper gets government assistance for taking the time to train someone, while your son gets a qualification at the end of it.

Program is promoted through the NSW Department of Industry (are you in NSW?), and I think the course is an Engineering Certificate in Composites, meaning the qualification is applicable in other industries.

There might be some helpful info here -
https://www.apprenticeshipsupport.com.au/News-and-Events/News/ASA-Surf-E…

Thanks stunet .. We are in QLD and I did hear about the composites qualification, its only a NSW thing I think, but thats OK.. we have a way around that through school. Appreciate your comments, its a difficult thing to find.

A bit on the Composites Qualification in The Surf Industry gets Qualified Article

Thanks for that link also, Ive given that article to the school so hopefully my son can follow. Thanks so much everyone.

"Thanks so much everyone."

You're welcome. Can we get cheap boards now??