Issue #122
February 2012

• Heating down under
• Footy tipping is back for 2012
• Apprenticeships aren't what they used to be
• Keeping it safe
• The Crack
• In the pipeline
• Main Price Changes
• Expanding the network

Apprenticeships aren't what they used to be

The federal government is planning big changes.

Apprenticeships are important. Young people need them to get their careers started. Plumbers need them to bring fresh talent into their businesses. And the country needs them to address the skills shortage.

But apprenticeships are facing big challenges. Right now there are around 400,000 apprentices in Australia, but an independent review has found that, for various reasons, as many as half could drop out. There are also inconsistencies between the states. Currently apprentices can qualify in two years in some states, while the same qualification requires four years across the border.

The federal government is about to address these issues with a national scheme.

Here’s what’s happening:

• The Gillard government plans to slash bureaucratic red tape and establish a national system for apprenticeships, instead of the current state-by-state framework.
• This includes a pay rise for early-year apprentices.
• Apprentices will soon be able to fasttrack their apprenticeships.
• They’ll also be able to transfer their apprenticeship across state borders more easily.
• The government hopes the apprentice blueprint will make it ‘easier and quicker for Australians to get the skills they need to access the high paying skilled jobs of the future’.