With employment prospects for VET graduates at almost 80 per cent, and for those completing trade certificates an even stronger 91 per cent, high school students are being urged to consider kick-starting their career by learning and earning with an apprenticeship or traineeship.
Almost 25,000 year 12 students will tomorrow receive their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) results, opening immense higher learning and career opportunities.
Apprenticeship Support Australia Manager Lena Constantine said it is crucial that WA is adequately prepared for future economic growth and the skills developed in an apprenticeship or traineeship will be skills for life.
“Many students don’t know that there are more than 500 apprenticeships and traineeships available across a range of industries in almost any field, from business services and hospitality to plumbing and carpentry, or that these careers pay salaries similar to those that university graduates expect,” Ms Constantine said.
The latest National Centre for Vocational Education Research identified that in-training numbers continue to fall, down 7.4 per cent in the year to March 2018 – more than six times the national change. Commencements in WA have also continued to decline – down 3.2 per cent over the same period, while completions are down 4.2 per cent.
“This is despite the latest Skillsroad 2018 Youth Census, commissioned by Apprenticeship Support Australia, revealing that WA youth who pursue an apprenticeship have the highest level of wellbeing compared to any other career pathway, including taking a gap year“, Ms Constantine said.
Across WA, the top three concerns for youth growing up in the State were job availability, mental health issues and housing affordability, however less than half of students surveyed reported that they received quality career advice throughout their schooling.
It is clear that young people need to be able to make informed career choices. We need to educate young people and their parents or guardians on all career pathways, their suitability to these, and how and where to pursue them.
I encourage all students, educators, and in particular parents, who are most likely to advise their children, to look into all career paths available to ensure they have the best chance of choosing the path that suits them.”
Apprenticeship Support Australia is delivered by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA. For more information on apprenticeship and traineeship packages, skills in demand and employer incentive eligibility, go to www.apprenticeshipsupport.com.au or call 1300 363 831.
The Skillsroad 2018 Youth Census surveyed 34,071 youth aged between 15 and 24 across the country, including almost 5,800 youth in WA. To read the report click here.
