If you’re a small business looking to build technical capability on-site, here’s something worth knowing before 30 June.

The ATO’s Small Business Skills and Training Boost is a limited-time incentive that allows eligible businesses to claim a 120% tax deduction on qualifying external training. That includes industry-recognised hydraulic training — the kind that keeps your gear running and your team sharp.

This scheme allows you to claim $1.20 for every $1.00 you spend on eligible training. For example, spend $5,000 on qualifying course fees and claim a $6,000 tax deduction.

But it only applies to training expenses incurred between 29 March 2022 and 30 June 2025 — and EOFY is fast approaching.

Are You Eligible?

To qualify, your business must:

• Be an Australian-based small business with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million
• Use training services from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), or a provider operating in partnership with one
• Be enrolling employees — not business owners or contractors
  

If that’s you, and your team is completing training through an RTO like APT, you’re likely eligible.

Where Hydraulic Training Fits

Hydraulic systems are a core part of operations in mining, agriculture, renewables, transport, manufacturing, and utilities. When they go down, so does your output.

APT’s recognised training programs help keep those systems operational and include:

• Basic Hydraulics Short Course – Core principles, safety, and practical hydraulic knowledge delivered in an accessible, applied format
• 8-Day Fluid Power Short Course – Troubleshooting, diagnostics, and advanced system analysis for experienced operators and maintainers
• Machine-Specific Programs – Tailored courses built around your site’s equipment, schematics, and operating conditions
  

These are not off-the-shelf programs. They’re delivered with your outcomes in mind — by instructors who’ve worked in the same environments your people operate in.

There’s no need to wait for a new financial year. If you’ve got leftover training budget or need to lock in courses before June 30, the timing works in your favour.

While the tax advantage is useful, the real value is in what better-trained teams bring back to your operation.

• Faster diagnosis and repair when systems fail
• Safer day-to-day handling of high-pressure fluid systems
• Fewer calls to external technicians
• Less downtime, especially in peak season
• Smarter use of the equipment you’ve already invested in
  

This is about building capability that pays off long after the financial year ends.

The deadline is fixed. The opportunity is temporary. But the impact of proper hydraulic training — that lasts.

Whether it’s the Hydraulics Short Course, the Fluid Power Short Course, or a tailored site-specific program, APT delivers training that meets ATO criteria and delivers real value on the ground.