fiction

facts

Apprenticeship and traineeship places for young people have declined dramatically in recent years.

Not true. Prior to 1992 all apprenticeship places went to young people. Apprenticeships have been open to adults since 1992. Of course as a consequence the share of apprenticeship places for young people has fallen. But the numbers going to young people have grown strongly. The number of apprenticeships and traineeships for teenagers rose from just under 73 000 in 1995 to 101 200 in 2000. The number for young people aged 20–24 years rose from 53 200 in 1995 to over 86 000 in 2000. Nearly half of all teenage full-time employees in Australia today are in a new apprenticeship.

You cannot get into a new apprenticeship these days without Year 12 or a tertiary qualification.

Not true. The biggest group of people in new apprenticeships are those who have completed Years 10 or 11 (45%). Some 35% have done Year 12 and 7% have done Year 9 or lower. Only 11% have a tertiary qualification. Surprisingly the proportions with Years 10, 11 or 12 have been falling in recent years. The proportions with a tertiary qualification or only Year 9 or lower have been rising modestly.

The record numbers of new apprenticeships are all very well. What has really been happening is that traditional apprenticeships are falling away. All the growth is in shorter traineeships.

Not true. Total numbers are at record levels, having reached 275 000 in June 2000. However, the growth has been in what were traditional apprenticeships and traineeships and in new areas of Certificate III or higher training. It is true that the fastest growth has been in occupations other than the skilled trades. Yet skilled trades apprenticeships are now at around 140 000. Only in 1980–81 and 1988–92 have these numbers ever been higher. There are now 216 000 new apprenticeships at Certificate III level or higher, by far the highest number ever in the system.

New apprenticeships are usually in dead-end jobs with low pay. It’s better to go to TAFE or university.

New apprenticeships are now available across a whole range of occupations in the labour market that have different levels of skill and rates of pay. New apprentices’ starting salaries averaged $512 per week in 2000 (or some $470 per week if they are in their first full-time job), and are higher than those of TAFE graduates in general. Moreover new apprentices’ starting salaries are much higher for Certificate III, IV or diploma graduates than if they did a new apprenticeship at Certificate II level. It’s true that the starting salaries for university graduates in their first full-time job are higher again at some $635 per week. The majority of university graduates are employed in the professions which are the highest paying jobs in the labour market.

Completing a new apprenticeship is no guarantee of a job.

Nothing can guarantee people a job. Completing a new apprenticeship is an excellent pathway to a job because the training has already occurred in the employment context. Some 90% of completing new apprentices are retained by the employer they did their apprenticeship with or easily move into another job. The immediate employment outcomes for university and other TAFE graduates are also good but not as high as new apprenticeships. Some 73% ofTAFE graduates (excluding new apprentices) and 67% of university graduates move into employment in the immediate period after graduation. Of course some also go on to further study.

The long-term employment and earnings prospects are not good for new apprentices.

Not true. Gaining any kind of post-secondary qualification considerably improves people’s employment outcomes, career prospects and long-term earnings.

University qualification at the degree level or higher leads to the highest employment rates and earnings levels in the labour market.

The next best employment outcomes are achieved by those who have an apprenticeship or other skilled vocational qualification (at the Certificate III or IV level). For this group the probability of having a job is over 83%. Moreover their average full-time earnings exceed $43 000 per year.

People with apprenticeship or other skilled vocational qualifications are more than twice as likely as anyone else to be self-employed and have the highest rates of full-time employment of any group in the labour market, university graduates included.