The National Centre for Vocational Education and Research’s release of the early trend estimates for September quarter apprentice and trainee commencements reinforce the critical need for the reform of the Vocational Education and Training sector, NECA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Suresh Manickam says.

“These figures highlight the real lack of growth in the take up of trade apprentices over the past decade.  Based on NCVERs own data, the annual trade commencements in Australia are lower today than a year ago,” says Suresh.

“Whilst the September trend estimates show a slight increase in the commencement of trade apprentices when compared with the previous quarter in June. Further, the take up rate remains lower than the equivalent quarter, some four years ago.” 

In September, the second meeting of the Council of Australian Governments Industry and Skills Council agreed to the release of the Skills Action Plan to reform the role of Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), provide revised standards for training providers and regulators, a review of accredited courses and training packages and the streamlining of data reporting for training providers who have delivered quality outcomes in past years.

“Of concern to the electrical and communications sector is that we are fast approaching a point where large numbers of baby-boomers will be retiring and that sustainable skills replacement does not appear to be occurring across our sector. For the sake of the electrical contracting industry, these reforms must lead to an increase in trade apprentice take up and an increase in the number of skilled and job ready apprentices flowing through to the workforce, ” says Suresh.