New data released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) show that apprentice and trainee commencements increased by 22.2% to 37 690 in the September 2023 quarter, when compared with the same period in 2022.
The Apprentices and Trainees 2023: September quarter report shows commencements in trade occupations increased by 18.4% to 17 365 between the September 2022 and September 2023 quarters. A significant contributor was the increase in Automotive Engineering Trades Workers, which were up 19.2% to 4510.
Commencements in non-trade occupations also increased over the same period, rising 25.7% to 20 325 in the September 2023 quarter. The increase was mostly driven by a 43.1% increase in Community and Personal Service Workers, which reached 9000.
NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker said commencement numbers in the September 2023 quarter are also higher than corresponding pre-pandemic periods.
‘The increase in commencements for the September 2023 quarter follows a sharp decline in apprentice and trainee commencements in the September 2022 quarter, coinciding with the end of the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC) scheme in June 2022. Encouragingly, commencements in the September 2023 quarter were 9.2% higher than the September 2019 quarter, prior to the pandemic.
Notably, there was a 30.3% increase in Child carer commencements between the September 2022 and 2023 quarters, an occupation that is currently experiencing skills shortages. When compared with the pre-pandemic period of September quarter 2019, Child carer commencements have almost doubled (up 94.9%) in the September 2023 quarter,’ said Mr Walker.
Between the end of September 2022 and September 2023, the number of apprentices and trainees in-training decreased by 9.8% to 365 420.
NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker explained, ‘While there has been a decline in apprentices and trainees in-training between September 2022 and 2023, in-training numbers are 33.1% higher than in September 2019, before the pandemic.’
Background:
Apprentices and trainees 2023: September quarter provides a national picture of apprenticeship and traineeship activity, including both quarterly and annual figures that can be broken down by state and territory.
Download the report: Apprentices and trainees 2023: September quarter.
Related resources:
- 10 year time series: Apprentices and trainees 2023: September quarter
- DataBuilder: Apprentices and trainees 2023: September quarter
- Excel tables: Apprentices and trainees estimates review dashboard: September quarter 2023
- Supporting information (including terms and definitions, and adjustment notes)
Enquiries: Chantal Deutrom P: +61 8 8230 8418 E: chantaldeutrom@ncver.edu.au
About NCVER: we are the main provider of research, statistics and data on Australia’s VET sector. Our services help promote better understanding of VET and assist policy makers, practitioners, industry, training providers, and students to make informed decisions.
This work has been produced by NCVER on behalf of the Australian Government and state and territory governments, with funding provided through the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.