Completion rates for apprentices and trainees who began training in 2017 decreased to 55.7 per cent, a 1.2 per cent drop compared to the 2016 figure, according to a new report from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
The Completion and Attrition Rates for Apprentices and Trainees 2021 report detailed the completion dates for both individuals and training contracts that started in 2017, the latest year for which observed actual rates are available for all occupations.
In a statement, NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker said individual completion rates for trainees who began trade communications in 2017 decreased by 3.0 points to 54 per cent, compared to that of those starting in 2016.
Non-trade positions remained steady at 56.9 per cent compared with the 2016 data.
The completion rate for trade occupations declined to 42 per cent, a decrease of 1.9 points from those commencing in 2016, while the rate for non-trade is at 54.2 per cent, an uptick of 0.3 per cent compared to that of 2016.
The latest NCVER report looks into the apprentice and trainee outcomes from when they started their training through to December 2021.
Completion and attrition rates are calculated by tracking the outcomes of individuals and contracts of training over time.
An individual may complete their training under more than one contract if they change employers or take a break from their training.
Most workers in trade complete within four years while those in non-trade roles mostly complete within three years, NCVER explained in a media statement.
