Almost 120,000 apprentices will get half their wages paid for in the first part of the Morrison government's stimulus package to push the economy along as the impact of the coronavirus bites.

The $1.3 billion plan will cover half the wages of 117,000 apprentices working for businesses with fewer than 20 employees, for nine months until September this year.

"We've programmed this spending up until September, but we'll be able to extend that should we believe it's necessary," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday afternoon.

"We want to ensure that as we go through these difficult months and quarters ahead, that young people in apprenticeships will be able to continue.