New data released last month by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) shows apprenticeship completion rates in the trades continuing to increase, while completion rates in non-trade occupations have declined again.
Trade completions continue to increase
The Apprentice and trainee completion rates 2024 report shows a clear lift in trade apprenticeship completion rates over recent years.
For apprentices who started in 2018, 58.2 percent completed within six years, up 0.7 percentage points.
Construction trade workers recorded the largest increase, with the six-year completion rate rising 1.7 percentage points to 57.7 percent. Trade completion rates also improved for some priority groups including people with a disability and those in regional and remote areas.
“These are encouraging results,” NCVER managing director John King said in a statement. “Trade apprenticeships are critical to addressing skills shortages and rising completion rates strengthen the apprenticeship system’s ability to meet Australia’s workforce needs.”
Non-trade completion rates continue to decline
The picture for non-trade occupations is different. Completion rates, after four years, have continued to fall, with 48.7 percent of the 2020 cohort completing, down from a recent high of 56.7 percent for the 2018 cohort.
Declines in non-trade completion rates were reported across the student priority groups, most notably among females, Indigenous students and those residing in regional and remote areas. There was a significant decline in the completion rate for managers in particular, with 40.2 percent completing after four years, a decline of 24.5 percentage points from the 2019 cohort.
Completion rates only part of the picture
Completion rates are an important indicator of how well the apprenticeship system is functioning, especially in the licensed trades.
The most common reason apprentices give for not completing is dissatisfaction with pay, working conditions or the workplace. NCVER’s data consistently shows, however, that many apprentices and trainees who leave before completing are satisfied with the training and still achieve positive employment outcomes. NCVER will release the results of the annual apprentice and trainee outcomes survey in the first quarter of 2026, which will give deeper insights into apprentices’ outcomes and reasons for non-completion, Mr King said.
Background:
Apprentice and trainee completion rates 2024 provides a national overview of completion and attrition rates for apprentices and trainees across traditional trade-based and non-trade occupations.
Completion rates are measured at three levels to show outcomes for people, apprenticeships/traineeships and individual training agreements with employers.
Rates are reported as a fixed reference period, ‘to date’ and projected.
Data are sourced from the National Apprentice and Trainee Collection, using data up until 31 December 2024.
Download the report: Apprentice and trainee completion rates 2024
Enquiries: Elise Stone P: +61 8 8230 8443 E: communications@ncver.edu.au
