Apprenticeships and traineeships in the downturn

The purpose of this paper is to describe what we know about apprenticeships and traineeships, with a view to assessing the likely impact of the current economic downturn on them.

Key messages

• There is considerable evidence that the downturn has hit apprenticeships, although there appears to be a lesser effect on traineeships.

• In terms of what matters, we argue that it is commencements rather than completions that need attention.

• Policies need to distinguish between apprentices and trainees and take account of the very different circumstances that apply at the occupation level.

• It is important in the debate to remember the genesis of traineeships—the high levels of unemployment in the 1980s. They were primarily seen as a way of reducing unemployment, rather than a skilling strategy. This may be particularly pertinent to disadvantaged groups for which traineeships may be especially important.
   

Tom Karmel
Managing Director, NCVER