A successful apprenticeship system, as noted in the report, off the job training needs:<\/p>\n

\u201cfirst class vocational education and training courses and facilities, including Victoria\u2019s TAFE network, to be delivering high quality learning\u201d<\/p>\n

And on the job training needs:<\/p>\n

\u201cthe support and commitment of both employers and apprentices to practically apply skills learned in a real-world work environment. This includes a commitment by employers to passing on their skills to apprentices, and creating a workplace environment where that knowledge transfer can safely and productively occur\u201d.<\/p>\n

And of course, completion rates should also be high.<\/p>\n

The reality<\/h2>\n

According to the paper: \u201cIn Victoria, individual completion rates for apprentices who commenced in 2016 was 52.9%, down by 2.5 per percentage points on the year prior.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Victorian completions are below the national average across both the trades and non-trades. Attrition therefore remains an issue and, as the report stated:<\/p>\n

\u201cOver successive years, the Young Workers Centre \u2013 which operates a community legal centre dedicated to supporting young people in the workplace \u2013 has experienced an increase in the number of Victorian apprentices reaching out with employment issues, including bullying, harassment, workplace safety, and both unpaid wages and TAFE fees.\u201d<\/p>\n

This and other research suggest that, usually, non-completion is not a provider issue, but rather an employer-related one.<\/p>\n