This follows the decision to axe any intake of new apprentices at the start of next year.

According to union officials, the number of apprenticeships in 2011 was 129.  

It has been cut by half each year since then to 30 this year.  

It will be zero in 2015.

“Next year will be the first time in the company’s history that not one new apprentice will commence work and follows a massive reduction in regional apprentices employed by Essential Energy since the Liberal National Government was elected in 2011,” Electrical Trades Union secretary Steve Butler said.

“The decision to axe Essential Energy’s apprentice program is part of a process of “fattening up” power network companies ahead of Premier Mike Baird’s planned sell off,” he added.

Mr Butler also accused National Party MPs, including Orange MP Andrew Gee — who next state election will represent the Parkes community following the redistribution of electoral boundaries — of paving the way for a future sale of Essential Energy.

“Much like Telstra, which was sold off in two tranches, it seems the Premier Mike Baird is determined to fatten up the profits of Essential Energy to maximise its value in a future sell off,” Mr Butler said.

“We are in Parkes today, meeting with workers and concerned locals to discuss the long-term future of Essential Energy, and the impact of cuts, including to the apprentice program.

“In 2011, 129 new apprentices started work with Essential Energy across regional NSW, but by this year that number had plunged to just 30, with not one new apprentice starting next year.  This is the first time in 50 years!

“This training program is responsible for providing the next generation of power workers.

Without this investment in the skills of young workers there will be an inevitable shortage of the people needed to build, maintain and repair the poles and wires in future.

“The slashing of regional apprentices confirms our fears that Essential Energy will also face privatisation if Premier Mike Baird is successful at pushing through the sale of 49 per cent of the electricity poles and wires.

“It appears a directive was given to the publicly-owned electricity businesses to halt their training programs for new staff in an attempt to fatten up their profitability ahead of Mike Baird’s sell off.”

Stop the Sell Off campaign director Adam Kerslake said the Premier couldn’t be trusted on the future of Essential Energy and National Party MPs must take responsibility for rolling over and supporting the sale.

“While publicly Mr Baird says no sale will occur without a mandate from voters, he has already locked in lucrative contracts worth millions of dollars with investment banks, lawyers, and accountancy firms to start the sale process,” Mr Kerslake said.

“Mike Baird said he would take a sale to the people, but instead he is doing everything except sign the final contract before the March election.

“If he is willing to push ahead without a mandate on a multi-million dollar sale process, what guarantee do the public have that a future government won’t sell the remaining power assets, including Essential Energy?”

Mr Kerslake said that while the National Party may have delayed the sale of Essential Energy, by agreeing to a partial privatisation, that backdown had paved the way for the company to be sold in the future.

“By rolling over and allowing the Premier to push ahead with a partial sell off of the poles and wires, National Party MPs, including Andrew Gee, have sold out the people of NSW,” he said.

“This deal will be forgotten after the next election, and any time a future government is looking for a quick cash injection, their first thought will be the full sale of Essential Energy.

“In Victoria, where the electricity network was sold off to overseas owners in the 1990’s, there were no new apprentices engaged at all in the following years, which is exactly what now looks like happening in NSW.

“The only way to ensure the people of NSW will have reliable, affordable and well-maintained electricity services in the decades ahead is to make sure the specialist skills required are passed on to a new batch of workers each year.

“In their rush for profits, the NSW Government has decided it would rather make a quick buck now, leaving future generations with the inevitable problems caused by skills shortages.”

Local State Member for the Dubbo Electorate Troy Grant said the Electrical Trades Union is at it again with yet another scare campaign putting unnecessary fear into regional NSW.

“I understand that regional communities want guarantees that regional jobs will be protected, which is why we have moved that Essential Energy be excluded from the partial lease of the State’s electricity distribution network,” Mr Grant said.

“The Electrical Trades Union and the Labor Party are only trying to stir up a scare campaign that regional NSW will lose jobs as a result of this Government’s once-in-a-generation proposal to lease 49% of the network, and deliver a huge windfall for visionary infrastructure projects but there can be no trust in the commentary from Labor and the Unions.

“Employers change the structure of their businesses from year to year, so it’s not surprising that the future number of apprentices recruited by Networks NSW will vary depending on the needs of their customers and the network.

“Networks NSW has advised they will re-commence recruitment – based on business need, rather than location – for 2015 after a review of their business proposal by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) later this year,” Mr Grant said.

“This is a win for Regional NSW with the NSW Nationals voting to support the long term lease of 49 per cent of the NSW Electricity Network with one major condition, that regional energy provider Essential Energy remain in public hands, protecting regional jobs.

“It is sad that Labor and the Unions keep using these unnecessary scare campaigns putting fear into communities where we have seen increased investment, jobs and brighter futures.”

 unlike what we have seen them deliver in the last 16 years whilst they were in government.

“Regional NSW has never looked better.” Mr Grant said.