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Doing an apprenticeship: What young people think

Josie MiskoOctober VET Skills Institute

18/10/2011

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Traditional apprenticeship commencements and skilled vacancies index (all trades), 1986-2006

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Trades-skilled vacancy index Commencements

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Career aspirations of students (%)Career aspirations of students No. % of students

Managers and Administrators 25 1.6

Professionals 712 45.6

Technicians and associate professionals 158 10.1

Tradesperson and related workers 214 13.7

Advanced clerical and service workers 18 1.2

Intermediate clerical, sales and service workers 99 6.3

Intermediate production and transport workers 4 0.3

Elementary clerical, sales and service workers 7 0.5

Labourers and related workers 5 0.3

Other* 88 0.3

Not reported 232 14.9

Total 100 100

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Preferences of apprentices by highest level of schooling (%)

Preference Year 12 Year 11 Year 10Year 9 or

below

First preference 56.7 73.6 73.1 66.7

Second preference 25.5 16.5 13.5 14.8

Third preference 15.4 8.1 10.6 18.5

Not reported 2.4 1.9 2.8 0.0

Total 100 100 100 100

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Students by year level and plans to enter an apprenticeship

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Total Year 10 Year 11 Year 12

Year level

No Yes Maybe Have not thought about it

Note: Graph does not include the small number of not reported’ cases.Source: Student Survey

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TER scores of apprentices apprentices – 20% obtained a TER

TER score %

50 or below 15.9

61 to 80 72.6

81 to 100 11.5

Total 100.0

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Student plans to pursue apprenticeships by expected TER scores

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Not planning on aTER score

70 and below 71 to 80 80 to 100

Expected TER range

Stu

den

ts

‘No’ ‘Yes’ ‘Maybe’ Have not thought about entering an apprentice-ship

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Students ability by plans to take up trade apprenticeship (%)

Yes No MaybeNo

thoughtsTotal

Currently performing at a very high or high level

6.8 66.4 16.2 10.7 100.0

Currently performing OKAY

18.2 47.8 18.1 15.8 100.0

Currently performing not so well or not so well at all

10.5 23.8 35.0 30.8 100.0

*47 students did not provide details that could be analysed for this table.

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Reasons for & against apprenticeships

  Apprentices Students

Why take up an apprenticeship Intrinsic motivation Intrinsic motivation

Always wanted to do that type of work (24%)

Always wanted to do that type of work (23%)

Extrinsic motivation Extrinsic motivation

Can always get a job with a trade (20%)

Can make good money with a trade (17%)

Why reject an apprenticeship Extrinsic motivation Intrinsic motivation

Inadequate pay (55%)Never been keen on a trade (50%)

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Influence on decision making

Parents: supportive or non-committal

Peers: do not care one way or other

Teachers: very few approach students with idea more likely to suggest to students of low

ability Influence very low

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Measuring the impact logistic regression

No yes, maybe, have not thought about it

parents’ occupational background father’s occupation mother’s occupation if father’s occupation is missing

parents’ educational background mother’s education father’s education if mother’s occupation is missing

cognitive ability (TER, ratings of ability) gender school level

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Would you recommend it to your friends and relatives considering what to do? YES – 74.4%

Continuous and stable employment Short and long-term benefits Intrinsic rewards Career establishment and progression Knowledge skills and experience

NO – 16.4% More money available in other jobs

YES and NO – 6.6% depends on ability and commitment of individual

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Apprentice intentions to stay in the industry (%)

First preferenc

e

Second preference

Third preference or lower

Work in the trade 58.6 51.6 49.5

Start my own business in the trade

14.6 16.6 10.3

Continue with the trade and do more studies

18.9 23.6 27.1

Get a job in a non-related area

6.4 6.4 10.3

Undertake full-time further education and training

1.6 1.9 2.1

Total No 550 157 97

Total % 100.0 100.0 100.0

Source: Apprentice surveyNote: 33 apprentices did not respond to the question

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Suggestions for attracting more apprentices

No. % of

cases

% of all responses

Increase pay 601 77.5 65.1

Increase promotion of benefits 233 30.1 25.2

Improve training 178 23.0 19.3

Increase incentives for apprentices 154 19.9 16.7

Improve conditions 136 17.5 14.7

Shorten duration 81 10.7 6.0

Create more jobs 55 7.2 8.8

Improve support, treatment and respect 43 5.7 4.7

Miscellaneous suggestions 31 4.0 3.4

Unsure 12 1.6 1.3

100.0

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Key messagesFinding Suggested action

Intrinsic interest is key motivator

Introduce young children to activities of different trades at young age

High ability

Focus mostly on those not bound for university, but inform university bound students of options

1/3 of year 12s go on to apprenticeships Promote trades to all year levels

Lack of adequate and current school knowledge about trades

Improve information for teachers and counsellors

Inadequate pay Review training wage?

Apprentices satisfied with learning, experience and future benefits

Promote these positive experiences at schools

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More

http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1797.html