Overview of the Australian apprenticeship and traineeship system

The Australian government recognises that a strong Australian Apprenticeship system is essential to sustain a strong economy. Accordingly, an Expert Panel was appointed to provide recommendations to the government on possible ways to reform the system to ensure that it can meet Australia's skills needs into the 21st century. The panel examined apprenticeship training arrangements, including current incentives, and suggested principles and evidence to improve outcomes for both apprentices and industry. The work of the panel was underpinned by a study on related economic costs and benefits...  [+] Show more

The Australian government recognises that a strong Australian Apprenticeship system is essential to sustain a strong economy. Accordingly, an Expert Panel was appointed to provide recommendations to the government on possible ways to reform the system to ensure that it can meet Australia's skills needs into the 21st century. The panel examined apprenticeship training arrangements, including current incentives, and suggested principles and evidence to improve outcomes for both apprentices and industry. The work of the panel was underpinned by a study on related economic costs and benefits, including research undertaken by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). This report is the first of four prepared by NCVER for the panel and it is intended to provide a background to the other reports which focus on specific aspects of the apprenticeship and traineeship system. The report is structured around four individual papers. The first is a history of apprenticeship and traineeship in Australia. This is followed by a characterisation of apprentices and trainees - apprentices and trainees of today cover a much broader span of individuals than the common perception of an apprentice being a young man in blue overalls. While not strictly part of an apprenticeship or traineeship, prevocational training exists as a pathway into an apprenticeship or traineeship rather than for its own sake. It thus makes sense to consider them alongside the apprenticeship and traineeship system, which is what is done in the third paper. The report concludes with some estimates of the cost of the system to the government.