NSW auto apprenticeship boom bucks national trend
Fewer automotive apprentices are graduating across Australia, except in New South WalesThe Motor Traders’ Association (MTA) of New South Wales has reported a 54 per cent increase in apprenticeship completions between 2021 and 2022, bucking the national trend of apprenticeship dropouts.
The Motor Traders’ Association (MTA) of New South Wales has reported a 54 per cent increase in apprenticeship <<< /wanted-more-female-mechanics-140612/ >>> completions between 2021 and 2022, bucking the national trend of apprenticeship dropouts.
Nationally, 67 per cent fewer auto apprenticeships were completed between 2012 and 2022, marking a 33 per cent dip in commencements and a 28 per cent decrease in enrolments.
So the upswing in NSW apprentices is good news for an Australian automotive sector that is facing a workforce shortfall of about 38,000 skilled professionals, with major shortages in the number of technicians qualified to service and repair EVs – something that could cause major headaches for auto brands and consumers going forward.
The NSW MTA institution credits its success to the streamlining of its course paperwork, assessment process improvements, the development of an online learning platform and by acting on some of the feedback and suggestions from employers and past students.
These improvements have clearly paid off because MTA is citing a 99.4 per cent employment or further studies rate for its graduates compared to a national average of 85.7 per cent.
MTA NSW CEO Stavros Yallouridis said that while the success was encouraging, more action needs to be taken by the state and federal governments to ensure it continues.
“We are contributing serious investment to ensure a steady, sustainable pipeline of automotive talent within NSW,” he said.
“The ongoing skills shortage and national apprenticeship dropout rates are two sides of the same coin: by improving apprentice rates, we can begin to solve our industry’s ongoing skills shortage.
“But the responsibility can’t lie on the industry alone. The government… needs to step up and invest to ensure we have enough talent to sustain us now and into the future.”
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