Apprentice support for 51,000 jobs in SA

A new national apprentice program will result in 51,000 apprentice and trainee job opportunities in South Australia over the next three years.

Apprenticeship support provider MAS National has been selected by the Australian Government’s $200 million annual investment in the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN), launched on 1 July, to be an apprentice network provider in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. 

The program will support the vocational learning journey needs of employers, apprentices and trainees from pre-commencement to completion, with the aim to boost completion rates.

South Australia holds the highest unemployment rate in the country, with youth unemployment significantly higher again (such as 19.7% in Elizabeth, North Adelaide).

Typically, an apprenticeship is four years and a traineeship is two years. Yet in South Australia, of the 5800 apprentices who started in December 2009, only 50.4% completed their apprenticeship, 35.6% dropped out and 14% are either continuing or unknown. Of the 15,100 trainees who started in December 2009, 54.9% completed their training, 32.1% dropped out and 13% are either continuing or the result is unknown, according to data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

The MAS Experience aims to improve completion rates by offering employers and apprentices a range of online and face-to-face tools, support and mentoring — from careers counselling to apprentice ‘sign-ups’, organising incentive payments and financial support, mediation and mentoring. 

MAS National CEO Poul Bottern said this is a win for apprentices, trainees, employers and Australia’s economy: “Apprenticeships and traineeships are a proven vocational pathway to a rewarding career. They create career dreams which change people’s lives. Increasing completion rates is not only a great employment option for the individual yet ultimately has flow-on effects which boost our economy and productivity.” 

Bottern said: “The MAS Experience provides the greatest support at the start of the apprenticeship, when the risk of dropping out is highest. We have seen how challenging employment opportunities are in South Australia and we hope this landmark initiative will offer significant hope to tens of thousands of young people.”

The MAS Experience will also be operational in both Victoria and Tasmania. As of December 2014 there were 316,400 apprentices and trainees nationally.