The need clearly to define apprenticeships as an entry-level training system for people entering a new occupation, irrespective of their age.The rapidly changing skill requirements in the workplace (meaning people are changing occupations more frequently over their working lifetimes) and the impact of the ageing of the population mean that focussing apprenticeships only on the young is no longer appropriate. Apprenticeships now need to be widely recognised as an entry-level training system not a school-to-work transition system.The increasing number of adults in apprenticeships and traineeships in recent years means this process has already started, but adult apprenticeships are still considered as being ‘illegitimate’ by some.

The need unambiguously to restrict apprenticeships to entry-level training. Reskilling and skills upgrading of existing workers in their jobs is crucial but should be handled through different training arrangements. Apprenticeships are inappropriate for continuous skilling.

Apprenticeships should not be restricted to any specific occupational groups such as the skilled trades, but they should not be applied to situations where little or no training is required to carry out jobs requiring very low skill levels. Certificate I programs should be eliminated from the apprenticeship system. Apprenticeships should apply at the Certificate II, III, IV, diploma and advanced diploma levels with a focus on growth in apprenticeships at the Certificate III level or higher.

More attention needs to be paid to theory and underpinning vocational knowledge in many new apprenticeships that are in jobs that require higher-order skills if the system is to expand to cover more of the higher skilled and better paying jobs in the labour market, such as the associate professional occupations.The recent ANTA evaluation recognises this and improvements are currently being implemented.

To ensure that apprenticeships are more relevant to contemporary workplace requirements considerably more emphasis will be required on the generic or employability skills in apprenticeship training, for which so many employers are now calling. Skills such as good analytical and problem-solving skills, organisational skills, innovative expertise, business organisational skills, excellent human relations and customer service skills etc. are becoming just as important in the workplace as the technical and para-professional skills people hold. Industry groups and government are co-operating to consider this issue.

Continuing with an integrated apprenticeship system that covers a wide range of occupational areas and leads to vocational qualifications at various levels is important.The traditional distinction between apprenticeships and traineeships makes less sense than it used to.The traineeship term should be put to ‘rest’, and possibly the term ‘apprenticeship’ rather than ‘new apprenticeships’ should now be used across the country to describe all contracts of training.

Overall the level of satisfaction of employers and new apprentices with the system is very high. Nevertheless, some recent reviews of traineeships in particular jurisdictions have identified some instances of problems such as inadequate training or lack of training plans. These issues need to be addressed.