Group training organisations’ focus on providing pastoral care and ongoing support for apprentices and trainees has a positive effect on completions, according to a new report released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
Completion rates for group training organisations and direct employers: how do they compare? also found that apprentice and trainee completion rates depend on a range of other attributes including employer size and apprentice demographics.
“Maximising apprenticeship completion rates has been a longstanding concern for governments because they represent the return on significant government investment in training,” said Simon Walker, Managing Director, NCVER.
“Employing apprentices with group training organisations is one means of doing this, as they can provide the additional care and ongoing support required by some apprentices to successfully complete their training contract.
“It’s not always easy for direct employers of apprentices to provide these types of support, particularly small to medium enterprises.”
The study sought to compare the completion rates of apprentices and trainees employed with group training organisations versus those employed with direct employers.
After accounting for the different demographic profiles apprentices and trainees and employer size, it found that the group training organisation completion rates for trade apprentices and trainees are substantially higher than for small and medium direct employers, and for non-trade apprentices and trainees, they are higher than for small, medium and large direct employers.
“Completion rates between group training organisations and direct employers cannot be simply compared because of key differences in the characteristics of apprentices and trainees for each employer type, and employer size.”
“Compared with other employers, apprentices and trainees with group training organisations are younger, more likely to be trade-based, and more likely to be new workers, all of which are factors that represent a higher risk of non-completion,” Mr Walker said.
The role of GTOs includes providing the additional care and ongoing support necessary for apprentices to successfully complete their training contract and thus maximise completion rates.
It is acknowledged that many direct employers also provide pastoral care and support to their apprentices, but this provision is often more difficult for small direct employers, in particular.
The study affirmed the view that the role of GTOs in providing additional pastoral care and ongoing support for apprentices and trainees has a positive effect on apprentices and trainee completions.
The report Completion rates for group training organisations and direct employers: how do they compare? is available at: https://www.ncver.edu.au/publications
Media enquiries: Helen Wildash M: 0448 043 148 E: helenwildash@ncver.edu.au
About NCVER: we are the principal provider of research, statistics and data on Australia’s VET sector. Our services help promote better understanding of VET and assist policy-makers, practitioners, industry, training providers, and students to make informed decisions.
This work has been produced by NCVER on behalf of the Australian Government and state and territory governments, with funding provided through the Australian Government Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business.