Support for alternative apprenticeship models – NCVER report

Apprenticeships play an important role in skills development, however there are a number of long-term issues which has seen rising support for new models of apprenticeship, according to a report from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

The report, Issues in apprenticeships and traineeships – a research synthesis identifies five enduring issues in the national apprenticeship and traineeship system.

In 2020, apprentices and trainees represented 17 per cent of all students enrolled in a training package qualification.

NCVER research shows the large number of stakeholders in the system leads to congestion and confusion by employers and apprentices alike.

Similarly, the lack of harmonisation across states and territories has made the apprenticeship system difficult to navigate for national employers.

Another long-standing concern for government is increasing apprenticeship and traineeship completion rates, with data showing that those who complete have on average better employment outcomes than those who don’t.

Further, incentives play an important role in encouraging and supporting apprenticeships and traineeships but the research finds that they need to be carefully targeted.

Previous experience has shown that poorly targeted incentives can lead to increased uptake but can also have unintended consequences and lead to inferior outcomes for apprentices and trainees.

The off-the-job training component plays a significant role in the overall apprenticeship or traineeship, but there are often challenges in coordinating it with the on-the job component.

These include aligning the training and assessment and ensuring that the off-the-job component accords with what is being learned in the workplace.

NCVER concluded: “The relevance of the historical apprenticeship model to changes in industry, economic and social conditions has been challenged and there is considerable support for alternative models of delivery.”

Picture: Tafe NSW

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