Drop in Traineeships and Apprenticeships

New data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research revealed that traineeships and apprenticeships are continuing to decline.

The stats revealed that there were 259,385 apprentices and trainees in-training as of December 2018, compared to 310,225 in 2014, a drop in 19 per cent. This is despite Australia’s population growing by five per cent from 2014 to 2018.

A positive result from the study was an increase in completion rate of training drop in traineeships and apprenticeships and Apprenticeships, rising from 9.5 per cent, with cancellations and withdrawals falling by 2.4 per cent.

With Australian bakeries, restaurants and cafes already struggling with skills shortages it seems the focus needs to be on promoting these skills and promoting career prospects in to industry for young people and those wanting to learn a trade or hospitality skill.

Concerned with the affect this could have on economic growth, the CEO of the Restaurant and Catering Association, Wes Lambert said, “If Governments, both state and federal, and business were working together and ‘rowing the boat in the same direction’ with an agreed set of vocational educational training outcomes, (this will) drive economic growth”.