The biggest myth about recent changes to the apprenticeship system in Australia is that opportunities for young people are diminishing. This is not the case. Until the decision to remove all age restrictions to apprenticeships and traineeships was taken in 1992, all places went to young people. By definition, the removal of age restrictions means that the proportion of young people in the system will fall. By 1995, 7% of all apprenticeships and traineeships were taken up by people aged 25 years or more. Today almost one-third of new apprentices are aged 25 years and over.

But this does not mean young people are missing out. As shown in figure 5, apprenticeship and traineeship and new apprenticeship opportunities are growing strongly for all age groups. The number of teenagers in the system rose from 72 800 in 1995 to 101 200 in 2000, by far the highest number of teenagers ever seen in the Australian apprenticeship system. The number of 20 to 24-year-olds rose even faster, from 53 200 in 1995 to 86 400—again a record number.

The numbers of older people in new apprenticeships are now also significant. There were 55 100 new apprentices aged 25–39 years in 2000, and 33 000 new apprentices aged 40 years and over.

The impact of these has seen an increase, not a decrease, in the proportions of all young people (and older people) who are participating in apprenticeships, traineeships and new apprenticeships (table 5).

Opening up the system to older people is crucial. The effect of the rapidly ageing population means that the young can no longer be considered the sole source of entry-level skills to new occupations in the labour market. The rapidly changing nature of work means that people now need to change careers several times over a working lifetime. Australia’s apprenticeship system is starting to reflect these changes and it leads the world on this issue, as other apprenticeship systems remain principally focussed on school leavers and young adults.