In January the federal government released an expanded apprenticeship priority list. Noting national skills shortages and persistent low completion rates among apprentices and trainees, Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP announced an expanded list of occupations that are eligible for up to $5000 in direct payments to apprentices, and up to $15,000 for employers. 

“Wherever you look, there are skills gaps, with the latest analysis showing 47 per cent of trade and technician occupations are in shortage, up from 42 per cent in 2021,” Minister O’Connor said. “Providing targeted support to increase the uptake and completion of apprenticeships in critical sectors is essential to plugging the skills gaps we face.” 

Combining hands-on training with real-world work experience, apprenticeships and traineeships have long been a part of Australia’s vocational landscape. Acclaimed Workforce, as a registered Group Training Organisation, works alongside businesses and apprentices/trainees alike, to help plug skills gaps and support the next generation of workers in key Australian industries. 

With that in mind, we look at five priority areas for apprentices and trainees in 2023 and beyond. 

Electricians 

From infrastructure to construction to a wide range of industries and businesses, people with electrical skills are always going to be in demand. Apprenticeships and traineeships have long been a key part of career pathways in the trades, and electricians are no exception. 

As well as general electricians, there are numerous vocational training opportunities within a variety of sub-disciplines. For example, electrotechnologists are involved with installing, servicing, repairing, and maintaining electrical equipment for residences and commercial and industrial properties. Electrical fitters on the other hand construct electrical equipment and circuits in a range of settings.  

An apprentice or trainee in one of these sub-disciplines can assist businesses with filling specific skills gaps or broadening their service offerings. 

Business management/business administration 

A sound understanding of how a business is run is a valuable, highly transferrable skill that can be put to use in just about any industry.  

While an MBA is often viewed as the peak academic qualification for those in the world of business, a traineeship in business management or administration can be an effective entry point, providing the key to a business career pathway and bringing invaluable hands-on experience. This experience can be particularly useful for someone aspiring to be a manager or even start their own business. 

For employers, bringing on apprentices in business management or business administration can provide an opportunity to nurture the next wave of leaders within their company, and guide their development in line with specific skill needs or strategic requirements. 

Warehousing and logistics 

Particularly with e-commerce booming, there is growing demand in Australia for employees with skills in warehousing – storing, receiving and dispatching goods – and logistics, which deals with the planning of transportation of goods from one place to another.  

These are fast-paced industries that often have clear pathways for advancement to more senior roles, such as supervisor or manager. The organisational, teamwork and communication skills gained through warehouse and logistics work are transferrable to just about any job you can think of. 

As with the other areas discussed in this article, apprenticeships and traineeships provide an ideal entry point for people entering warehousing and logistics, as well as an economical way for business owners to grow their workforce, in both size and capability. 

Agriculture 

Broadly speaking, agriculture is the science or practice of farming. It’s a diverse field that incorporates many different specialisations, applications and disciplines. 

An agronomist, for example, deals with field crop production and soil management, especially with crops that are grown on a large scale such as small grains. A horticulturalist on the other hand will tend to focus on the growing of flowers, fruit and vegetables, including for commercial use. 

Agriculture can include the rearing of animals for human consumption, such as in pork production. Another sub-category is permaculture, which involves a more holistic approach to land management based upon natural ecosystems. 

As an industry, agriculture also has a high demand for people with business skills (because of the notable commercial aspects) and laboratory skills (for example, for quality assurance or research and development purposes). 

Apprenticeship and traineeship pathways exist to bring employees into all of these aspects of the agricultural industry. 

Wine making/cellar hands 

The wine industry took a bit of a hit during recent years due to La Niña, with adverse weather conditions impacting grape production and vintage in many areas. But Australia’s winemaking tradition is long and resilient and Australian wine is expected to bounce back. 

Wine makers oversee the wine production process, while cellar hands tend to do a lot of the routine jobs involved in making and bottling wine. This includes weighing, measuring and processing ingredients; taking samples and adjusting treatment conditions as part of monitoring and maintaining quality; cleaning and operating machinery; and bottling and packaging the wine itself. 

As occurred in many industries, the pandemic years saw a downturn in the number of people available with the skills to perform the many tasks involved in wine production. Apprenticeships and traineeships, alongside other employee engagement and retention strategies, provide an opportunity for companies who produce wine to build a flourishing workforce. 

Acclaimed Workforce provides employment solutions to help employers combat skill shortages. As a recognised Group Training Organisation (GTO), we employ apprentices and trainees and place them with host employers, as well as providing ongoing support and management of the apprentice or trainee. Learn more about how our GTO service can help your business.