Labor’s apprenticeship plan criticised
The NSW Labor Government’s new scheme offering free business vehicle registration for small business owners who employ apprentices during 2007/08 does nothing to lift the low apprenticeship completion rate, Shadow Minister for Skills Development and Training Don Page said today.
Mr Page said while he welcomed the Labor Government’s provision of free business vehicle registration and ongoing rebates on business vehicle registration during the apprentices’ second and third years, the scheme failed to provide any incentives for apprentices to complete their training.
He said that in contrast, a NSW Liberal/Nationals Coalition Government would provide apprentices with a $500 bonus at the completion of their first and third years of their training, and work with industry to implement standard three-year apprenticeships wherever possible without compromising standards.
“After 12 years of Labor, the current completion rate for apprentices in NSW currently stands at just 41 per cent,” Mr Page said.
“In 2005, 18,519 people commenced an apprenticeship in NSW but just 7542 people completed their apprenticeship.
“Moreover, A National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) apprenticeships and traineeships report found that in the June 2006 quarter 10,500 apprentices and trainees in NSW cancelled or withdrew from their training, a figure that has been steadily increasing from 7000 in June 2001.
“Given the chronic skills shortage currently being experienced in this State, we need more apprentices to complete their training and the Government’s latest apprentices policy does nothing towards making this happen.
“I note the NSW Business Chamber is of the same opinion, saying ‘the policy real challenge in NSW is not a lack of employers employing apprentices, but the lowest apprenticeship completion rates in Australia’.
“This policy has all the hallmarks of something that was drafted on the back of an envelope late on Sunday morning – it doesn’t address the key problem, low apprenticeship completion rates.”
