WA’s pipeline of skilled workers is under growing pressure, with apprentice and trainee numbers falling 11.5% over the past five years, raising concerns across industry.
Latest data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research shows enrolled apprentices and trainees have consistently dropped since 2021, from 40,385 to 35,760 in 2025.
The decline in WA is steeper than the national average, dropping 18.8% since 2021.
CCIWA Associate Director of Industry Skills Lena Constantine told ABC Perth Radio yesterday this figure was well below what the workforce needed to meet demand from defence, clean energy and housing construction industries over the next decade.
“We need about 4% of our workforce to be in an apprenticeship or traineeship [to meet industry needs], which would be around 60,000 people,” she told presenter Nadia Mitsopoulos.
This would equate to a 68% increase in apprentices and trainees.
“When we have this big gap in what we already need, that decline becomes a bigger problem for our economy,” she said.
Impact of employer incentive cuts
Constantine said a decline in the employer incentives from the Federal Government over the past few years had made it “no longer attractive enough for employers to take on an unskilled worker and train them up in the workplace”.
The 2026-27 Federal Budget included changes to employer incentives, with reductions for small and medium-sized businesses and group training organisations, and the removal of incentives for large businesses (with more than 200 employees).
Whereas the 2026-27 State Budget included a boost for apprentice wage subsidies, but no increase to employer incentives.
“Data shows when you put a decent wage subsidy or incentive into the market for employers, that employer behaviour will change,” she said.
“Our Members tell us that if they can have $10,000 per year for the first two years of an apprenticeship, there would be a much healthier uptake in this space.
“But currently, employers in a priority trade – electricians, carpenters and plumbers – they’ll get $5,000 for the entire period. Those not on the priority list who aren’t in those key trades, get $2,500. It’s just not enough to offset the cost for an employer to choose to take on someone who is unskilled.”
Employers need consistency to support growing demand
The State Government announced in May it was developing a workforce strategy to “ensure WA has a sustainable pipeline of skilled and productive workers for the State’s priority industries”. These industries include defence, clean energy, building and construction, advanced manufacturing, care, and tourism and hospitality.
The construction workforce needs an extra 50,000 workers by the end of the decade – and 130,000 by 2035 – to keep up with housing targets, the Australian Financial Review reported earlier this year.
Defence is expected to need about 4,000 skilled workers by 2035 and 10,500 over the next two decades.
“We need more solutions for employers to say yes to apprenticeships, so there’s a more broad-based, stable, ongoing incentive program that provides simple access for employers to plan ahead,” Constantine said.
“We can’t build this 10-year skills pipeline through a series of short-term piecemeal announcements or programs or short-term incentives.”
“Otherwise, we are going to fall well short of the workforce that we are going to need.”
Powered by CCIWA, Apprenticeship Support Australia WA (ASA), can facilitate employment, manage training and offer support and advice to businesses seeking apprentices to boost their workforce.
Contact ASA at [email protected] or phone 1300 363 831.
