At Apprenticeships Are Us (ARU), we are proud to support a wide range of applicants who are seeking to kick-start their careers through apprenticeships. However, we are currently facing significant challenges in placing two key cohorts:
· Adult applicants
· Young school leavers who are under the age of 17 and don’t have a licence.
From our data, 237 (30%) of the applicants we are adults who bring with them life experience and maturity. Another 7% are under 17 years old and are eager to get started in a trade career straight out of school. Unfortunately, both groups are struggling to secure placements, and it’s not because of a lack of capability or willingness.
Many of our host employers are reluctant to take on adult apprentices. Some cite concerns about wage differences between adult apprentices and junior apprentices. Based on current wages for a first-year apprentice in the Automotive Industry an adult apprentice will cost an additional $11,764.42 per year when compared to a junior apprentice that hasn’t completed their HSC. Others host employers have a preference for younger apprentices, often assuming they are a better “fit” for their existing team. This leaves a large portion of highly motivated adult candidates without a pathway forward.
On the other end of the spectrum, our younger applicants, those under 17 face a different but equally frustrating barrier. Most host employers require apprentices to hold a driver’s licence so they can move between worksites, work on the driveway or pick up parts. But by law, these candidates are too young to hold a licence, even though they are otherwise ready to enter the workforce. As a result, these enthusiastic young Australians are overlooked, not due to any shortfall in work ethic or capability, but simply because of their age. In 2023, ARU conducted a poll with our host employers, revealing that 46% of the 160 respondents began their apprenticeship after completing Year 10. Given that the average age of Year 10 school leavers is around 16, nearly half of ARU’s host employers many of whom have since completed their trade and now operate their own workshops or manage major dealerships would likely have been overlooked for an apprenticeship opportunity under today’s placement constraints.
This is why we believe the Australian Government urgently needs to reconsider its approach to apprenticeship incentives to curb the skills shortage crisis. Increased financial support or targeted wage subsidies for employers who take on adult apprentices or unlicensed under-17s would be a game changer. These measures could offset perceived risks or operational inconveniences and help shift the mindset of employers.
We’re calling on the Federal Government to make it easier for all Australians regardless of age to access apprenticeship opportunities. With skill shortages continuing across key trades and industries, we simply can’t afford to leave willing and able candidates sitting on the sidelines.
At ARU, we’re doing everything we can to support these groups, but we need government support to level the playing field. By expanding incentive programs, we can help more Australians build careers, fill workforce gaps, and future-proof our industries.
