With the demand for skilled workers rising in 2021, a higher proportion of apprentices and trainees are being employed after completing their training.
The latest statistics from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) shows 94.0% of apprentices and trainees who completed their training in a trade occupation were employed after training. For those in non-trade occupations, 88.4% were employed after training. These figures are up 2.5 percentage points and 3.5 percentage points respectively from 2019.
Employment outcomes improved the most for those who trained in electrotechnology and telecommunications, construction, sales and clerical and administrative occupations, compared with 2019.
NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker explained. “The employment outcomes for apprentices and trainees significantly improved between 2019 and 2021, likely reflecting the increased demand for skilled workers. In 2021 we saw a higher proportion of employers retaining the apprentices and trainees they trained after they had completed, with the proportion of qualified apprentices and trainees employed with the same employer up 12.3 percentage points from 2019 for trade completers and 6.9 percentage points for non-trade completers.”
“The demand for skilled workers was also reflected in those who did change employers, with a higher proportion of apprentices and trainees changing employers because they were offered a better job. Of those trade completers who changed employers in 2021, 24.7% did so because they were offered a better job, compared with 14.5% in 2019, while for non-trade completers it increased to 24.0% in 2021 from 17.9% in 2019."
Satisfaction with off-the-job training was high, with 86.7% of trade completers and 91.0% of non-trade completers satisfied overall with their off-the-job training, a similar or slightly higher proportion than in 2019. This is despite 30.1% of trade completers and 39.2% of non-trade completers having some of their off-the-job training move online in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background:
- Apprentice and trainee outcomes 2021 provides a summary of apprentices’ and trainees’ reasons for training, their employment outcomes, further study outcomes and satisfaction with the apprenticeship or traineeship.
- Copies of Apprentice and trainee outcomes 2021 are available from https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications
Enquiries: Mariane Umali M: 0406 824 184 E: marianeumali@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 Education, Skills and Employment.