Low pay, poor conditions drive apprenticeship dropouts

About half of Australia's apprentices drop out early, and experts say workplace conditions, low pay, and a lack of support are among the reasons.

National Centre for Vocational Education Research figures show 52 per cent of apprentices and trainees who started in 2020 did not complete their training within the expected four years.

Its latest figures show the number of apprenticeship and traineeship contracts in progress fell 8.6 per cent in the year to December 2025, including a 17.1 per cent fall in non-trade contracts.

Among those who left before completing, about 85 per cent said something could have helped them finish, with changes to their job or workplace the most common response.

Kira Clarke, who leads employment, education and training policy at the Brotherhood of St Laurence, said a range of financial and workplace pressures make it difficult for apprentices to complete their training.

"There's a number of reasons for this, low wages, inflexible delivery timelines and rigid structures, and also inconsistent readiness of employers to support and mentor apprentices," Ms Clarke said.

She also said many apprentices had a limited understanding of the jobs and training pathways available to them before beginning their apprenticeship.

"For a lot of young people, the visibility they have to the types of jobs they might be interested in is often quite limited to what jobs their family do, what their teachers have told them about what their immediate circle of friends and community are doing," Ms Clarke said.

"There's a lot of anxiety about, 'Am I making the right choice for the type of job that I think I'll enjoy?'"

Personal experiences matter

Federation University emeritus professor Erica Smith said that even after young people choose an apprenticeship, their experience at work often determines whether they finish.

"When you look at the data on why people don't complete, they say it's to do with the job, not to do with the training," Professor Smith said.

"An apprenticeship is a job, and people leave jobs."

Professor Smith said the figures gave only broad reasons for why apprentices left and did not show what they experienced at work each day or what ultimately pushed them to quit.

"I've recommended much better data be collected from apprentices to find out: are they happy, why are they happy, why aren't they happy, what's bothering them?" she said.

Professor Smith said efforts to improve completion rates needed to look beyond workforce demand and recognise the person undertaking the apprenticeship.

"There's actually a person there," she said.

"Let's think about apprenticeships as being for people."

Earn and learn

With experts pointing to low pay, poor workplace support and limited regional options as reasons apprentices leave, Federation University is looking at models that aim to better combine study with paid work.

Pro vice-chancellor of VET and pathways Darren Gray said students could earn an income while completing their qualification and gaining workplace experience.

"As the cost-of-living increases, this is even more important for many students," Mr Gray said.

"This is particularly important in regional communities, where vocational pathways are critical to meeting workforce demand across both trade and non-trade industries."

He said some "earn-and-learn" models meant students have access to wellbeing services, literacy and numeracy support, scholarships, free food and other help.

"This support can make a life-changing difference for students who may be balancing work, family and study commitments," Mr Gray said.

He said that for apprentices facing those competing pressures, that extra support could make the difference between leaving early and completing their qualification.