The number of apprentices and trainees in-training has declined by 12.4 per cent in the 12 months to April 2014, new figures reveal.
The statistics published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research show there were 386,800 apprentices and trainees in training at the end of March.
This is down from the 441,800 who were in training at the end of March 2013. The numbers are symptomatic of an ongoing trend.
According to the data, the number of seasonally adjusted apprentices and trainees in-training has declined over the last seven quarters from a high of 492,400 in June 2012 to only 395,400 in March 2014.
The number of seasonally adjusted trades commencements has decreased in the last two quarters from 25,800 in September 2013 to 22,900 in March 2014.
Seasonally adjusted non-trades commencements have decreased in seven of the last eight quarters from a high of 71,800 in March 2012 to 31,100 in March 2014.
The number of seasonally adjusted completions has also decreased in each of the last four quarters from a high of 53,500 in March 2013 to 38,900 in March 2014.
TAFE Directors Australia chief executive Martin Riordan said the continuing downward trend in apprenticeships and traineeships was more than cyclical.
He said there were issues with how apprenticeships and traineeships were being offered to both young and mature aged students and that discussions with the government were taking place.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Director of Employment, Education and Training, Jenny Lambert, said the figures highlighted the challenge confronting Australia’s apprentice system.
“Australia is now staring down the barrel of a crisis in both skills and youth unemployment; recent labour force figures show that youth employment and youth participation rates continue to fall. In the first quarter of 2014 we have fewer young people under 24 starting an apprenticeship than there were in the first quarter of 2012. This means that thousands of young people have missed out on making that important first step into getting valuable skills and building a career,” Ms Lambert said.