The expected duration of apprenticeships would be cut from four years to as little as three years under reform proposals being put to the state government.
The expected duration of apprenticeships would be cut from four years to as little as three years under reform proposals being put to the state government.
Under the reforms, many students would commence trades training while they are still at school.
The changes would also involve the adoption of competency-based training, which would allow students to complete their training in less than the standard duration.
The proposed reforms are part of the state government’s response to the shortage of skilled labour in Western Australia, and are designed to make trades training more flexible and responsive to industry needs.
The reforms are in line with the action plan Premier Alan Carpenter signed at last month’s Council of Australian Government meeting in Canberra.
Education and Training Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich believes WA is “ahead of the pack on this issue”.
“We are leading the nation in terms of the structures we have set up to fast-track competency-based training,” Ms Ravlich said.
The detailed reform proposals have been developed by five working groups representing the sectors with the most pressing needs – building, automotive, metals, hospitality and oil and gas.
The building industry finalised its plans last year but, as reported in last week’s WA Business News, implementation has been delayed by a technical dispute between industry groups and the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union.
In light of that experience, Ms Ravlich said she was waiting for other industry group to resolve industrial issues, such as wage rates for apprentices, before making a final decision on the new training arrangements.
However she endorsed the thrust of the reforms.
“They are very practical recommendations that target some of the historical difficulties that industry experienced,” Ms Ravlich said.
This includes high attrition rates – 47 per cent of trainees and 29 per cent of apprentices fail to complete their courses.
Ms Ravlich said work would have to be sent offshore if the state was not able to increase the supply of skilled labour.
“Everywhere we go, there are companies who have had to forgo contractual opportunities purely and simply because there is insufficient skilled labour to meet demand,” she said.
Under the planned reforms, the expected duration of apprenticeships would be cut to two years in residential building, three years in commercial building and hospitality and three-and-a-half years in the metals and automotive sectors.
The introduction of more school-based trade training followed last year’s pilot of the School Apprenticeship Link program.
The number of students in the program has nearly doubled, to 750 this year.
The automotive industry is developing a scheme that would offer structured workplace experience as early as year 10, leading to TAFE training and work placements in year 12.
“The students need to be a fair way down the track to being work ready by the time they finish school,” Motor Trade Association of WA director Peter Fitzpatrick said.
Ms Ravlich said the government had allocated an extra $31 million to trade training and had increased the total number of people in training to 30,000.