Evolution of apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia: an unfinished history

This occasional paper traces the evolution of Australia’s apprenticeship system from European settlement in 1788 to the present day including the various policies, social changes, and skill needs that have influenced how the system developed into what is in place today. A major theme is that the community, employers (including industry and employer associations), and employees (including trades unions), have mostly had a conservative approach to apprenticeships; they have tolerated only a few major changes to the system. Most change has occurred since the introduction of traineeships in...  [+] Show more

This occasional paper traces the evolution of Australia’s apprenticeship system from European settlement in 1788 to the present day including the various policies, social changes, and skill needs that have influenced how the system developed into what is in place today. A major theme is that the community, employers (including industry and employer associations), and employees (including trades unions), have mostly had a conservative approach to apprenticeships; they have tolerated only a few major changes to the system. Most change has occurred since the introduction of traineeships in 1985 and the payment of government incentives to employers from the mid-1990s. This evolution has brought the system to a crossroads, with major issues still to be addressed.