National Centre for Vocational Education Research finds apprentice numbers declining in Tasmania

In the first three months of this year, the number of apprentices in training in Tasmania fell sharply compared to the same three-month period in 2023.

The number of apprentices and trainees currently in training in Tasmania has fallen, a new report has found.

The number of Tasmanians embarking on trade apprenticeships plunged in the first quarter of 2024 and there were 10 per cent less people in training than there were in the same period last year, a new report has shown.

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) released apprenticeship and traineeship data for the March 2024 quarter, comparing the figures to the same three-month period in 2023.

Across Australia, there was an 8.9 per cent average reduction in apprentices and trainees currently in training, with the decline chiefly being attributed to non-trade occupations – such as clerical and administrative workers and office and practice managers – which saw a 21.3 per cent national fall.

In trades, meanwhile, apprentices in training dropped by 1.6 per cent.

A new report has shown that apprentice numbers across Australia have fallen.

NCVER managing director John King said trade and non-trade occupations “appear to be on different trajectories”.

“Trade in-training numbers have declined by 4.3 per cent since their peak in June 2022 and are still nearly 30 per cent higher than the pre-pandemic trend. In contrast, non-trades have decreased 36.9 per cent since the June 2022 peak, falling back to around 20 per cent above pre-pandemic levels,” he said.

In Tasmania, the number of apprentices and trainees in training dropped by 13.9 per cent, outpacing the national average.

Apprentices in training decreased by 10 per cent to a total of 5970, while those in non-trade areas fell by 19.1 per cent to 3945.

Commencements were down 1 per cent, falling 8.1 per cent in trades and increasing 7 per cent in non-trades.

There were 645 apprenticeship and traineeship completions in the quarter, down 18 per cent compared to the same period last year. However, this was entirely attributable to non-trade occupations, where there was a 34.7 per cent reduction in completions.

Master Builders Tasmania CEO David Clerk said the state’s results reflected the national trend and more needed to be done to encourage women to take up trades.

Master Builders Tasmania CEO David Clerk. Picture: Chris Kidd

“While commercial construction in Tasmania has experienced modest growth, the residential sector has contracted due mainly to the negative impact of higher interest rates on new dwelling starts,” he said.

“This combined with the end of the post-Covid stimulus measures that incentivised both apprentices and host employers, has resulted in a fall in the number of apprentice commencements at a state and national level.”

Mr Clerk said state and federal governments should consider providing apprenticeship incentives and bonuses and potentially make these tax-free.

“We are competing with universities to attract young talent into our sector and we need to be more competitive in that space. Students need to understand that the social and financial rewards of a trade can easily surpass those associated with higher education,” he said.

Originally published as National Centre for Vocational Education Research finds apprentice numbers declining in Tasmania