In 2010, the New South Wales Board of Vocational Education and Training (BVET) commissioned Quay Connection and associates [Ithaca Group, The Research Forum] to undertake a market segmentation study of apprentices and employers of apprentices. The aim was to identify a new perspective on apprenticeship non-completion, one that went beyond the statistics to understand motivations. The research indicates that it is possible to identify groups of apprentices and employers with different levels of risk of apprenticeship non-completion. This means they can be differentiated from those who are... [+] Show more
In 2010, the New South Wales Board of Vocational Education and Training (BVET) commissioned Quay Connection and associates [Ithaca Group, The Research Forum] to undertake a market segmentation study of apprentices and employers of apprentices. The aim was to identify a new perspective on apprenticeship non-completion, one that went beyond the statistics to understand motivations. The research indicates that it is possible to identify groups of apprentices and employers with different levels of risk of apprenticeship non-completion. This means they can be differentiated from those who are aware of what an apprenticeship involves and are clearly committed to it, from those who are in need of assistance, enabling better informed risk management. A key message is that one size doesn't fit all, and that services need to be tailored to the needs of different groups of apprentices and employers. The study also found that apprentices will trade short term costs for long term benefits in an apprenticeship, as long as the 'deal' is fair. The research has identified the key elements of a fair deal, and the need for it to be more widely articulated and understood.