General News

Apprentice and trainee numbers sky-rocket

New data has revealed the number of apprentices and trainees in jobs is helping NSW bounce back from the pandemic, with a 77 per cent surge in commencements in the year to September 2021 compared with the same period the year before.

The National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) report shows 107,845 people were in-training across NSW, a 29 per cent increase on the year before.

Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the NSW Government is making it easier for people to access skills and training and the NCVER data backs that up.

“We’re investing in 100,000 fee-free apprenticeships and 70,000 fee-free traineeships that directly address industry needs and skills shortages, so that people can get a first job, a new job or a better job,” Mr Henskens said.

“Our skills-led recovery has created a jobs boom across NSW and contributed to an unemployment rate of 3.7 per cent – the lowest on record.

“We will continue working hard to turbocharge the take-up of vocational education and training, to help get more people the skills they need for the jobs they want.”

The report highlights the huge increase in women commencing apprenticeships and traineeships, up 91 per cent in the year to September 2021.

Traineeship commencements were particularly strong, with an increase of 58 per cent.

“The NSW Government is building on this strong foundation by investing in programs like the Educational Pathways Program, expanding it to an additional 120 schools so that thousands more students have the opportunity to undertake school-based apprenticeships and traineeships,” Mr Henskens said.

“The opportunity for students to get skilled while at school is creating a pipeline of job-ready young people when they leave the school gate.”

The NCVER Apprenticeship and Traineeship September 2021 quarter report provides details about national, state and territory apprenticeship and traineeship numbers.