Skills for tomorrow: shaping the future of Australian apprenticeships

The Strategic review of the Australian apprenticeship incentive system investigated the support available to help more people start and complete apprenticeships and traineeships. This final report makes 34 recommendations (identified as short-term, medium-term and long-term) to support high-quality apprenticeships and ensure the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System  is effective and responsive to the needs of the labour market, apprentices and government.

The review found that while apprenticeships play an important role in reducing critical skills shortages, there is a need to better target incentives to economic priorities and social equity objectives. There is also a need to improve workplaces for apprentices, take a targeted approach to support priority groups, improve data collection, and enhance the performance of programs and those involved in the apprenticeships system such as employers, training providers and support services.

The report is accompanied by a report on the consultation and fact sheets for: employers, apprentices with disability, CALD apprentices, First Nations apprentices, women apprentices in male-dominated trades, and regional and remote apprentices.

Key recommendations

• Improve the apprentice experience through strengthening national standards and assessing the services provided by the Apprentice Connect Australia Providers, Registered Training Organisations and Group Training Organisations.
• Reward employers who are doing the right thing and address the behaviour of those who are not providing an appropriate working environment for their apprentices.
• Support the use of Group Training Organisations to assist SMEs in taking on new apprentices and facilitate apprenticeships across renewable energy projects.
• Provide more financial support to apprentices through subsidies for their travel expenses, purchasing tools, and reforms to apprentice support payments to increase the amount and frequency of payment.
• Improve the assessment of apprentices’ language, literacy and numeracy skills.
• Develop ways to recognise previous experience and fast-track apprenticeships to make apprenticeships more appealing to those entering an apprenticeship later in life.