NCVER

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to provide information on trends over the years 1995 to 1998 in the realm of contracts of training in vocational education and training in the electrical and electronics trade occupations in Australia. Initial raw figures are also provided for 1999. This information will be used to provide an indication of where skill shortages may be occurring or likely to occur in relation to specific electrical or electronics trade occupations.

The main electrical and electronics trade occupations for which apprentice and trainee data are considered in this report are:

• Electrical engineering associate professionals (ASCO code 3123)
• Electronics engineering technicians (3124-13)
• Electrical and electronics tradespersons (43)
• Electrical and telecommunications trades assistants (9918).

More detailed, sub-category investigation of apprentice and trainee numbers is provided for some of these occupation areas.

Comparisons of apprentice and trainee numbers are also made with projections of employment growth in the electrical and electronics trade occupations.

Provision of this information will help to identify skill shortages for, or within, particular electrical and electronics trade occupations or whether current shortages in electrical and electronics trade occupations are likely to be overcome in the short-term.

Factors including widespread technological changes, the requirement of trade industries for more highly skilled and productive apprentices, increased competition in world trade and the need to improve the transition from school to work have had a major impact on the employment-based training system in Australia.

The government has reformed the apprenticeship and trainee system by making it more flexible and responsive to employer needs and ensuring that quality training is provided. The new training arrangements covering apprenticeships and traineeships are collectively known as New Apprenticeships which the government began introducing from 1 January 1998.

This report focuses on providing more detailed information on such factors as trends in numbers in training, commencements and completions, in relation specifically to electrical and electronics trade occupation contracts of training (that is, predominately apprenticeships) by each of the electrical and electronics trade occupation areas. This information is provided in the context of relevant economic and labour market information.

The employment forecast information utilised in this report is based on the data provided by Chris Murphy and Justin Douglas of Econtech in their report commissioned by the NCVER entitled The Outlook for Jobs.

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to provide information on trends over the years 1995 to 1998 in the realm of contracts of training in vocational education and training in the trade industries in Australia. Preliminary indicative information for 1999 is also provided for the trades generally. This information will be used to provide an indication of where skill shortages may be occurring or likely to occur in relation to specific trade industry areas.

The main trade industries for which apprentice and trainee data are considered in this report are:

• Electrical
• Building and construction
• Automotive manufacturing/retailing
• Manufacturing
• Hospitality, and
• Retailing.

Comparisons of apprentice and trainee numbers are also made with projections of employment growth in the trade industries.

Provision of this information will help to identify skill shortages for, or within, particular trade industries or whether current shortages in trade industries are likely to be overcome in the short-term.

Factors including widespread technological changes, the requirement of trade industries for more highly skilled and productive apprentices, increased competition in world trade and the need to improve the transition from school to work have had a major impact on the employment-based training system in Australia.

The government has reformed the apprenticeship and trainee system by making it more flexible and responsive to employer needs and ensuring that the highest quality training is provided. The new training arrangements covering apprenticeships and traineeships are collectively known as New Apprenticeships which the government began introducing from 1 January 1998.

When all contracts of training are considered, that is, apprenticeships and traineeships in both trade and non-trade occupations, greatest growth in overall numbers occurred between 1995 and 1996. Also, changes in the age profile of apprentices and trainees have been evident since 1993/94 when adults were able to access traineeships for the first time. However, vast differences are evident in number and profile information between trade and non-trade occupation apprenticeships and traineeships.

This report focuses on providing more detailed information on such factors as trends in numbers in training, commencements and completions, in relation specifically to trade occupation contracts of training (that is, predominately apprenticeships) by each of the trade industry areas: electrical, building and construction, automotive manufacturing/retailing, manufacturing, hospitality, and retailing. This information is provided in the context of relevant economic and labour market information.

The employment forecast information utilised in this report is based on the data provided by Chris Murphy and Justin Douglas of Econtech in their report commissioned by the NCVER entitled The Outlook for Jobs.

This issue of Research at a glance summarises some of the most recent research on the impact of competency-based training (CBT) on the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system.

CBT was introduced in the late 1980s as part of wider economic policy measures to improve the skill levels of the Australian workforce, enable Australian industry to be more competitive in global markets and establish new career structures for the Australian workforce. CBT has remained a key element of VET policy adopted by successive governments at federal, State and Territory levels.

While early research findings suggested that the implementation of CBT in Australia was neither smooth nor rapid (Harris et al. 1995) commitment by VET participants, particularly industry and governments, has remained strong and substantial.

These web pages are an extract from the publication Australian Vocational Education and Training: South Australia?an overview.

This publication provides an overview of South Australian vocational education and training students, and the outputs and outcomes from the South Australian vocational education and training system in 1997. The information is based on data collected under the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information and Statistical Standard (AVETMISS) along with information from the NCVER 1998 TAFE Graduate Destination Survey, the NCVER 1997 Employer Satisfaction Survey, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and various analytical papers.

  The VET system in South Australia

The publicly funded VET system in South Australia provided for about 141,500 students or 10% of national VET students. This figure was higher than South Australia?s population share of 8%. Whilst South Australia accounted for some 8% of national course delivery, shorter courses were common as it accounted for only about 7% of annual hours curriculum. South Australia delivered 19.8 million curriculum hours in 1997, an average of 140 hours per student, compared with the 200 hour Australian average. Women tended to study in shorter courses than their male counterparts, and South Australia had the highest proportion of women students amongst the Australian States. Whilst South Australia accounted for 10% of VET students, it had a 16% share of students with Recognised Prior Learning or Credit Transfer entitlements. This also probably contributed to the lower module enrolments and curriculum hours.

This issue of Research at a glance explores early school leaving who early school leavers are, why they leave early, risk factors and likely outcomes of leaving early, and the positives and negatives of retention. It examines what is being done for early school leavers through vocational learning and VET in school and post-school settings and identifies major issues and best practice , as well as possible directions. It considers education-based policy responses to early school leaving and suggests ways in which more flexible pathways can be articulated and developed in the context of a comprehensive approach which includes education, training, work and the community.

Summary of key issues emerging from the research

• Early school leaving is an issue internationally. In Australia nearly one in three young people is at risk of not completing secondary education, a situation which will impact on their long-term employment prospects and earning capacity, especially in the context of a declining youth labour market.

• Early school leaving is a complex issue. There is no such thing as a 'typical' early school leaver. Not all young people leave early for the same reason and their reasons are not necessarily negative ones.

• There is no infallible predictor for individuals leaving school early, although some groups are particularly 'at risk ' of doing so.

• A major problem for early school leavers working out their options is the cracked mosaic of fragmented services at the local level.

• No single action, whether relating to policy, school curriculum, TAFE courses, employment advice or the services provided by a range of agencies, will in itself reduce the risks of early leaving.

• The key to achieving positive changes, especially at the local level, is the way in which sectors, institutions, organisations and agencies work together to assist young people to prepare for and make their transition to the world of work and adulthood.

• In the context of more co-ordinated and integrated approaches, vocational learning and VET have a crucial role to play.

• Both overseas and in Australia there are already working models of more integrated approaches to improving the options for early school leavers. The results are encouraging.