Sydney Morning Herald | October 2013
The slow economy and a sharp increase in TAFE fees have been blamed for a fall in the number of apprentices and trainees in NSW at a time of high youth unemployment.
Internal NSW Treasury figures released by the state upper house show the number of apprentices and trainees employed by businesses paying payroll tax fell from 56,427 to 54,017 – almost 5% – between 2011 and last year.
Opposition Leader John Robertson, whose office obtained the figures, said the government should be addressing skills shortages and the high rate of youth unemployment, which is close to 17%.
The O’Farrell government should be investing more in vocational training, not making it more difficult to access and less affordable for students.
The director for education and training at the Australian Industry Group, Megan Lilly, said employers have faced difficult market conditions and an uncertain economy. The government’s decision to increase TAFE fees, which the state price regulator says will rise by up to $750 a year, had also contributed to a decline in apprenticeships and traineeships, she said.
The fee hikes next year will be quite considerable and I think that is causing nervousness among employers,” she said. ”I think the major problem is the economy and market conditions.
Figures from the NSW Department of Education also reflect the decline. The number of new TAFE apprentice enrolments fell from 43,290 to 42,781 between 2011 and last year – a drop of 1.2%.
