Peter Noonan and Sarah Pilcher write in The Conversation (1.9.17) about their Mitchell Institute research, which claims that the so-called ‘apprenticeships crisis’ has united both sides of politics, employers and trade unions, but wrongly conflates apprenticeships and traineeships to skew the picture.
‘It’s rare to find an issue that unites both sides of politics, employers and trade unions, yet these unlikely allies have all claimed there is an apprenticeships “crisis”.
‘In 2016, Labor leader Bill Shorten said that the number of Australians training for apprenticeships was at its lowest level since 2001, blaming Coalition funding cuts for plummeting numbers.
‘This year, the assistant minister for vocational education and skills, Karen Andrews, explained the Coalition government’s new Skilling Australians Fund would restore “alarming” apprenticeship numbers to 2012 levels. She said: “Labor’s withdrawal of employer incentives contributed to a massive decline.”
‘The Australian Council of Trade Unions claims apprenticeship numbers have experienced a “catastrophic drop” under the Abbott/Turnbull government. The Business Council of Australia, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Australian Industry Group also claim that apprenticeships have declined by 45% since 2012.
‘A new report from the Mitchell Institute exposes some of the misconceptions behind these claims, finding some truth and a more purposeful way forward in the apprenticeships debate.’
- There is no apprenticeships ‘crisis’ in Australia »
- Mitchell Institute: Finding the truth in the apprenticeships debate »
- Tradie crisis looms for Queensland as apprenticeships halved in past four years »
- Vocational education and training sector is still missing out on government funding: report »
- Don’t be too quick to dismiss ‘dying trades’, those skills are still in demand »
- Employer incentives may not be the most cost-effective or fair way of boosting apprenticeship numbers »
- Government announces $2.5 billion package to support training and apprenticeships »
- Apprenticeships system broken »