3. Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are the most obvious source of Jobs for the Future in the construction industry. They involve a period of formal training, combined with on the job experience, that leads to a broadly recognised qualification. For the period of training a reduced wage is paid. The overall level of apprenticeships has been dwindling through the 1990s, this trend is the major source of reduced employment opportunities for young Australians in the construction industry.

“Apprenticeship levels are very low, a fact acknowledged in the study groups and confirmed in the industry data analysis. That this is so at a period of high activity when traditionally training levels within the industry should have increased, has caused concern in many sectors of the industry, but there are presently few concrete steps being taken to correct this trend.” (Employment Studies Centre, ‘Constructing the Future’, August 1999, pp6-7)

The tables below show that the overall numbers of apprentices in training and the number of apprenticeship commencements has fallen since the start of the decade. The various reasons for the decline in apprenticeship commencements are discussed below.

Table 2: Apprentices in training — building and related areas
	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
Electrical	21,859	23,342	22,382	20,921	17,821	16,553	15,867	16,748	16,703
Building	30,312	32,727	30,618	28,769	23,799	25,518		25,930	24,288*
Includes trainees source Construction Training Australia, Building and Construction Workforce 2005.*

Table 3: Apprenticeship commencements and re-commencements by selected ASCO groups, Australia
	1988/89	1989/90	1990/91	1991/92	1992/93	1993/94	1994/95	1995/96	1996/97
Electrical	7,909	8,212	5,982	5,212	5,442	5,680	5,628	5,348	5,128
Building	14,349	13,356	8,478	7,751	10,053	11,481	10,432	7,871	8,273*
Includes trainees source Construction Training Australia, Building and Construction Workforce 2005.*

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United we bargain - Divided we beg.
	Contact the National Office, Construction Division at: Level 12, 276 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Ph: 02 8524 5800 Fax: 02 8524 5801 Email: queries@fed.cfmeu.asn.au Postal address: PO Box Q235, Queen Victoria Building Post Office, Sydney NSW 1230.