Research from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) highlights the role pre-apprenticeship training can have in supporting student success.

Future Workforce predicts that out of the 34,000 apprentices who will start a construction apprenticeship in 2025, less than 20,000 will complete their qualification.

“Pre-apprenticeship, try-a-trade and job readiness programs play an important role in enabling people to explore career pathways, solidify career aspirations and make more informed decisions about their training needs,” Housing Industry Association (HIA) future workforce – executive director Geordan Murray says.

“High-quality pre-apprenticeship training is valuable for students who gain foundational skills while deepening their understanding of jobs in industry before committing to an apprenticeship. Furthermore, employers value this foundational training when recruiting apprentices.”

NCVER says that aspiring tradies who completed a pre-apprenticeship program had a significantly higher likelihood of completing a trade apprenticeship.

“Improving access to high-quality pre-apprenticeship training will ensure that apprentices are job-ready and starting out on the path to successfully complete their trade qualifications,” Geordan says.

“Policymakers must take heed of these research findings and ensure that the VET sector and industry are equipped and incentivised to deliver this type of foundational training.”