Australian apprentices are being offered scholarships to learn on the job around the world as the global demand for skilled workers intensifies.

A new 4-week exchange program offers Australian second, third and fourth-year apprentices over the age of 18 a chance to broaden their trade knowledge, skills and experience in Canada, New Zealand or Switzerland through the Global Apprenticeship Network Australia (GAN) with support from GAN New Zealand, EJTC Canada and GTEXpro.

Trade-trained workers are being snapped up by countries around the world in the global war for talent. The recent World Economic Forum: Future of Jobs Report finds that building and related trades workers are Europe’s most common occupations with labour shortages in 2022. The next most needed professions included metal, machinery and associated trades.

In the United States, businesses in retail and wholesale of consumer goods reported close to 70% of job openings remaining unfilled, with close to 55% of roles unfilled in manufacturing and 45% in leisure and hospitality.

“The international exchange program is a great opportunity for our emerging workforce to develop a universal set of skills needed for the most in-demand occupations worldwide,” GAN and AEN executive director Gary Workman says.

“Having transferable skill sets creates a competitive edge for an instant boost in employability and opportunities to travel and work anywhere in the world. Australian apprentices will have the opportunity to experience how other countries work in the same industry and can bring back valuable first-hand knowledge that will assist their work when they return.”

He adds that tradies are highly valued worldwide, especially as countries face elevated unemployment and tight labour markets.

“The problem causing trade shortages goes back to ’90s policies; school students were overwhelmingly pushed to university. There is a generational opportunity for businesses and policymakers to realise the importance of apprenticeships in Australia and worldwide to avoid the revolving door of skills shortages,” Gary explains.

The program will cover travel, accommodation, insurance and training costs estimated at $10,000 per exchange. Itineraries will include attending a local training school focusing on OH&S and basic trade skills, job site tours where they will be assigned to an employer and commence on-site training and job shadowing, and a reflection project for further skill development.

GAN-Australia is also interested to hear from Australian businesses willing to host an international apprentice locally.

For more information on the international exchange program, follow this link.