New apprentice support to create 51,000 jobs in South Australia

A new national apprenticeship program will result in 51,000 apprentice and trainee job opportunities (sign-ups) 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 1 July, to be an apprentice network provider in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

With the aim of boosting completion rates, support will be given to the vocational learning journey needs of employers, apprentices and trainees from pre-commencement to completion.

Typically an apprenticeship is four years and traineeship 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 unique 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. “With a statistic of about 50% apprentices completing their training, it is where The MAS Experience caring for every step of the learning journey can make a difference.

“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 affects which boost our economy and productivity.

“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 program will also be operational in both Victoria and Tasmania. As of December 2014 there were 316,400 apprentices and trainees nationally, according to NCVER data.