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Description

This publication provides a snapshot of apprenticeship and traineeship contracts of training across Australia. It presents statistics on contract commencements, completions, cancellations and withdrawals as well as contracts currently in training up until 30 September 2024, derived from the latest National Apprentice and Trainee Collection, collection no. 122, December 2024 estimates.

Seasonal trends exist across the various apprentice and trainee contract statuses. The March quarter typically sees a higher number of commencements compared with other quarters, reflecting the intake of new apprentices and trainees at the beginning of the year. In contrast, the December quarter is usually marked by a higher number of completions, as many contracts conclude towards the end of the year.

Highlights

Apprentices and trainees in-training

As at 30 September 2024, there were 333 765 active (in-training) apprentice and trainee contracts nationally, with over two-thirds in trade occupations. The total number of in-training contracts decreased by 7.8% compared with 30 September 2023. Trade contracts decreased by 1.9%, to 232 610, while non-trade contracts declined by 18.9%, to 101 120.

Trade occupations

Compared with the September quarter 2023:

• commencements decreased by 17.4% overall. The largest decreases were among Construction Trade Workers, down 865 (or 18.6%) to 3785 and Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers, down 775 or (or 18.0%) to 3545. These occupations accounted for 27.3% and 25.6% of all commencing trade contracts respectively
• completions increased by 7.1% overall. The largest increases were among Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers, up 485 (or 19.8%) to 2930 and Construction Trades Workers, up 475 (or 18.6%) to 3010. These occupations accounted for 26.8% and 27.5% of all completed trade contracts respectively
• cancellations and withdrawals declined by 1.9% overall. Despite the decline, there were increases among Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers, up 290 (or 8.6%) to 3665 and Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers, up 285 (or 10%) to 3125. These occupations accounted for 24.3% and 20.7% of all cancelled or withdrawn trade contracts respectively.

Non-Trade occupations

Compared with the September quarter 2023:

• commencements decreased by 24.7% overall. This was primarily due to a decrease in Community and Personal Service Workers, which declined by 1605 (or 19.3%) to 6715. This occupation accounted for 47.3% of commencing non-trade contracts
• completions decreased by 14.7% overall. The largest decrease was among Clerical and Administrative Workers, which decreased by 1380 (or 39.3%) to 2135. This occupation accounted for 18.3% of all completed non-trade contracts. Community and Personal Service Workers accounted for the largest proportion of completed non-trade contracts (40.2%) and increased by 865 (or 22.6%) to 4690
• cancellations and withdrawals decreased by 27.3% overall. The largest decrease was among Clerical and Administrative Workers, down by 1725 (or 47.2%) to 1935. This occupation accounted for 18.6% of all cancelled or withdrawn non-trade contracts.

Figure 1   Stock of trade and non-trade contracts of training, September quarter 2023-24

¹ In-training is comprised of active contracts, i.e., the number of contracts that have commenced, recommenced or suspended, and where contracts have not yet been completed, cancelled/withdrawn or expired.

Report

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Unless stated otherwise, data are derived from the latest National Apprentice and Trainee Collection (no. 122, December 2024 estimates), which is compiled under the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS) for Apprentice and Trainee Collection Specifications, Release 7.0, October 2015.
2. Due to the delay in time between an event (commencement, completion, etc.) occurring and the reporting of that event to Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼ estimates the most recent figures. The estimation method involves weighting recently processed numbers based on average reporting lags. As estimates are revised for up to seven quarters, figures for the last two years may differ from those published in earlier or subsequent reports. The final counts are those submitted by jurisdictions. Further details on the methodology can be found in the Estimation of apprentice and trainee statistics technical paper.
3. The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia brought about significant uncertainty for individuals, businesses, and governments. The resulting suspension of normal economic activities, combined with various government and economic interventions, has impacted apprentice and trainee numbers. Therefore, caution should be exercised when interpreting and comparing data from 2020 onwards.
4. In-training figures represent the number of apprenticeship and traineeship training contracts where the apprentice or trainee is actively training under the terms of their contract, and who have not completed, cancelled or withdrawn from their training, or had their training contract expired. The figure reflects the number of active contracts at a given point in time (at the end of the quarter), and therefore in-training figures cannot be cumulated over time. For this reason, quarterly comparisons are equivalent to 12-months ending comparisons, as they both represent the changes as at 30 September from one year to the next.
5. Note that the percentages presented in this product are reported to one decimal place. All other numbers, after aggregation, have been rounded to the nearest five. Rounding can lead to instances where the numbers in the body of a given table might not add to the rounded totals.
6. Unknown data have not been reported in any tables, whereas the total includes all contracts, including those with unknown status. Hence, some figures in the tables may not sum to the total.
7. Whilst the report is limited to data on contract commencements, in-training, completions and cancellations/withdrawals, data on contract recommencements, expiries and suspensions are available in VOCSTATS.
8. As the vocations approved to be under an apprenticeship or traineeship training contract are not consistent across all jurisdictions, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼ has adopted a Trade/Non-trade categorisation for the purpose of the National Apprentices and Trainees Collection with 'Trades' classified as all occupations listed under ANZSCO major group '3-Technicians and Trades workers' and 'Non-trades' classified as all other major occupations groups 1-2 and 4-8 (Occupations are classified using the ANZSCO - Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, 2022 Australian Update).

This infographic is drawn from Australian vocational education and training statistics: apprentices and trainees 2024 — September quarter, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼, Adelaide.

SOURCE: Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼ (Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼), National Apprentice and Trainee collection no. 122, December 2024 estimates, Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2024, December). Labour Force, Australia, Detailed. cat. no. 6291.0.55.001, see .

10 year time series

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