1800s

Apprenticeships are introduced to Australia from Britain. Apprenticeships spread through Australia’s colonies across various skilled trades occupations.

1894

The first legislation governing apprenticeships anywhere in the Australian colonies and differing from British law is enacted in NSW.

1901

The Commonwealth of Australia is formed. Responsibilities for apprenticeships remain with State jurisdictions. However, apprentices under federal awards come under the jurisdiction of the new Commonwealth government.

1901

The NSW Apprentices Act 1901 is enacted and sets new regulatory arrangements that are followed in other States of the newly created Australian federation.These include raising the minimum age for apprentices from 12 to 14 years, introducing a model form of indenture, setting the maximum term of an apprenticeship to seven years, requiring apprenticeships to expire when an apprentice turns 21 years of age and setting a limit for apprentices’ work (except for farm workers and domestic servants) to 48 hours per week.

1901–39

Various State government legislation is enacted that entrenches apprenticeships in the industrial awards system, setting out rates of pay and hours and conditions of work.Various trade or apprenticeship commissions, boards or committees made up of employer and union representatives are established under these Acts to administer apprenticeships.Various off-the-job technical education courses for apprentices and day release arrangements for apprentices to attend these courses are established.

1939–45

‘Dilutees’ are introduced to industry during World War II to make up for the loss of skilled tradesmen who are serving in the armed services—’dilutees’ have limited or no previous technical experience and most are women.

1946

The Tradesmans Rights Regulation Act 1946 is passed to protect the rights of pre-war tradesmen who have returned from service in World War II from ‘dilutees’ and unqualified migrants beginning to arrive in Australia.The Commonwealth Reconstruction and Training Scheme (CRTS) is established to quickly retrain returning servicemen.

1952

Mr Justice Wright carries out the first national inquiry into apprenticeships in Australia. Following the recommendations of the inquiry, apprenticeship periods are reduced to four years and block release arrangements to allow apprentices to attend off-the-job training courses are extended. Off-the-job training (typically for one day per week for three years) subsequently becomes universal in Australian apprenticeships and fully on-the-job apprenticeships disappear.

1954

National apprenticeship numbers reach 65 000 to 70 000.

1957

The first national apprenticeship body—the Australian Apprenticeship Advisory Committee (AAAC)—is established. It is made up of Commonwealth and State training authorities.

1963

The Commonwealth government establishes the first national scheme for the financial support of apprenticeships—the Country Apprenticeship Scheme.The scheme involves a subsidy to employers during the first year of an apprenticeship for the employment of apprentices from country areas and the provision of living-away-from-home allowances.

Late 1960s

National apprenticeship numbers reach 100 000 for the first time.

1973

The Commonwealth government establishes the first national employer subsidy scheme—the National Apprentice Assistance Scheme (NAAS). Apprentice numbers increase by 12% in the first year of NAAS.

1977

The Commonwealth government establishes a more comprehensive national subsidy scheme to support apprenticeships—the Commonwealth Rebate for Apprentice Full-time Training (CRAFT). A Commonwealth and State/Territories Apprenticeships Committee (COSTAC) is established with a more comprehensive role to develop a national approach to apprenticeships, replacing the AAAC committee established in 1957.

1984

The Committee of Inquiry into Labour Market Programs, chaired by Peter Kirby, is established to review apprenticeships and other employment and training programs. Youth traineeships are recommended to complement the apprenticeship system by providing a wide range of new training opportunities (combining on- and off-the-job training) in areas other than the skilled trades occupations across the whole labour market and for all groups of young people (not just young males).

1985

The Australian Traineeship System (ATS) is established.

1990

Apprenticeship numbers surge to reach an all-time record in Australia of over 160 000.Traineeships take off slowly but reach just under 12 000 by 1990.

1992

Age restrictions in apprenticeships are removed.

1994–95

The National Employment and Training Taskforce (NETTFORCE) is established to encourage employers to take on more trainees in traineeships. Initiatives include relaxation of requirements to attend off-the-job training at TAFE, accreditation of training that is assessed fully on-the-job, extension of traineeships beyond basic certificate levels to higher certificate and diploma levels and the introduction of the national training wage to encourage employers to take on more trainees.

1995

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is established as a single integrated national system incorporating all qualifications from senior secondary schooling, vocational education and training and university. Apprenticeship and traineeship qualifications are incorporated into the AQF, enabling contracts of training to be offered at all levels of vocational qualifications.

1998

The New Apprenticeship System is set up, combining apprenticeships and traineeships into a single integrated system. User choice is introduced to enable a choice of registered training provider.

2001

New apprenticeship numbers (incorporating apprenticeships and traineeships) expand rapidly to reach 275 000 by June 2000.