The Government says the number of people signing up for apprenticeships so far this year is encouraging.
Since March, some trainees and employers have been eligible for what are called re-boot subsidies for tool and course costs.
Employment Minister Steven Joyce says 8,000 trainees have signed up for training in apprenticeship programmes since March, which he says is more than would usually sign up in a full year.
"The Tertiary Education Commission expects the 10,000th trainee will sign up for the re-boot before the end of this calendar year."
He says the Government is looking at investing more money to extend the number of places eligible for the re-boot subsidy.
