Announcing the pledge on Wednesday at Somerset, Premier Will Hodgman said if re-elected, his government wanted to see an ‘army of apprentices’ in key industries over the next few years.

Mr Hodgman said his government would commit in the next term to bring long-term youth unemployment rates down to the national average by 2022.

“Our vision is to see an army of apprentices,” he said.

“The best thing government can do is to support businesses, large and small, to take on trainees.”

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said he was pleased to see tourism and hospitality as a priority sector for the program.

“If we’re not careful and investing now, it will be a skills shortage that puts the park brake on our tourism growth,” he said.

“We need more Tasmanians to want to work in the tourism and hospitality, but we also need to encourage our employers to take on more trainees and apprentices and up skill our own local workforce.”

Master Builders executive director Michael Kerschbaum said the policy would be ‘a great deal’ for the building and construction industry.

“With apprentices becoming increasingly more expensive to employ, extending the payroll tax rebate scheme and the small business grants … is extremely welcome.”

Elphinstone Group managing director Kelly Elphinstone welcomed the pledge as an employer of apprentices across the state.

“They are the future of our business. We couldn't do what we do without our apprentices. And we would urge the education sector to encourage young men and women into apprenticeships.”

Mr Hodgman said his government was determined to keep up the economy’s momentum and ensure young Tasmanians got a shot at an apprenticeship.

The policy would extend the payroll tax rebate scheme for two years to 2020-21, at a cost of $9.4 million. The small business grants would be $5000 per apprentice or trainee, at a cost of $2.5 million a year for three years to 2020-2021.

The policy was estimated to create an extra 4500 apprentices and trainees.