But data points to declining annual apprenticeship completions, commencements
Trade apprenticeship completions hit their highest level in a decade with more than 51,000 apprentices finishing their training in the year to March 2025, according to a new report.
Data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) have revealed that a total of 51,145 trade apprentices finished their training in the 12 months ending on March 31.
This is up by 4,085 apprentices, or an 8.7% annual increase.
This is also the highest number recorded in a decade when it comes to trade completions, according to the Federal government.
By trade occupations, the highest number of completions was recorded in the Construction trades with 14,770. This is followed by the Automotive and Engineering trades, as well as Electrotechnology and Telecommunications.
On the other hand, the number of apprentices finishing their non-trade occupations in Australia dipped by 12.2% annually.
According to NCVER data, there were 47,250 apprentices who finished their non-trade occupations training, down from 53,815 in 2024.
Overall apprenticeship data
Overall, apprenticeship completions in Australia went down by 2.5% to 98,405 completions in the 12 months ending on March 31.
Apprenticeship commencements also dropped by 9.6% to 146,415 annually. Active apprenticeship contracts also declined by 7.9% to 320,830.
Despite this, the government pointed out that cancellations and withdrawals for apprenticeships declined by 17.4% annually.
It also noted that apprenticeship participation and completions have jumped significantly in the past five years.
There were also 41,710 more apprentices in training in March 2025 than at pre-pandemic levels in March 2019, a 15% difference, according to the government.
"It's encouraging to see more Australians training in critical areas for the country – the kinds of jobs that keep our homes powered, our communities safe, and our loved ones cared for," said Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles in a statement.
"We're turning around the skills shortages we inherited from the previous government, who left the worst skills shortages in half a century."
Employers' apprenticeship challenges
The findings come as 96% of employers across Australia report challenges in hiring apprentices or trainees, according to data from the Australian Industry Group.
The top barrier cited by the majority of employers (65%) is the difficulty in finding suitable candidates.
Around a third of employers also cited difficulty in supervising or training on the job (33%) and high costs (32%).
To bridge the gaps in the apprenticeship system, the national government extended its top-up payments scheme for apprentices and employers in priority occupations to December 31, 2025.
It also increased support payments for apprentices living away from home, and for employers of apprentices with a disability.
The government is also expanding its Key Apprenticeship Programme to include high-priority construction trades, with incentives of up to $10,000 for apprentices such as carpenters, electricians, and plumbers.
