MTA-SA calls for apprenticeship support

A national drop-out rate of 52 per cent for Australian apprenticeships is totally unacceptable, according to the Motor Trades Association of South Australia, and is a reflection of the insufficient support given to employers to encourage participation in the scheme.

The MTA’s Group Training Scheme is one of South Australia’s most successful training organisations with more than 500 apprentices employed at any one time, and a completion rate of 71 per cent over the last 12 months.

Life blood of industry
MTA’s Executive Director, John Chapman, said that apprenticeships are the life blood of the trades, and there needs to be more support to encourage South Australians to consider an apprenticeship as the best way to begin their career.

The drop-out rate was announced alongside a recent report by a federal government taskforce, A Shared Responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st Century, which focuses on shared responsibility from all stakeholders including government, apprentices, employers, hosts and training providers.

“The report’s emphasis of refocusing all stakeholders in the training sector to this ‘shared responsibility’ model will only help improve public perceptions and increase the professionalism and ultimately improve the performance outcomes of Australian apprenticeships,” Chapman said.

“Apprenticeship wages in the motor industry have needed a review for some time, and hopefully with this report by the government’s taskforce we can finally move ahead and get the remuneration support the industry needs.

“Critically, there needs to be recognition of a mature age apprentice’s stage of life and have the necessary support and incentives to encourage their participation in the industry.

“Looking at these aspects of Australian apprenticeships will certainly go a long way to encouraging participation in the scheme and increase the national completion rate.”

establish a training fund

Chapman said the state government could increase investment by establishing a dedicated motor industry training fund, created from a small $3 levy placed on vehicle registrations.

“This would create over $3 million for the industry to invest in training across all the motor trades,” he said.

“We see similar schemes in other trades working effectively and helping achieve positive outcomes, and it makes sense to take this similar approach with investment across the motor industry as it remains an industry with skill shortages.”