Apprenticeships have always been an important way to encourage people to learn a wide range of skills to support their interests and career prospects, as well as delivering significant benefit to the companies that invest in them. In the years ahead, apprentices will be more important than ever thanks to the impacts of COVID-19.
Australia has experienced the greatest economic shock since the Great Depression, with border closures creating a significant skills shortage in the Australian workforce. There was already a gap between the training undertaken by Australian workers and the skills that industry needs to unlock productivity gains and create jobs – a gap now exacerbated by the pandemic.
With the disruption this has caused to so many industries, especially in manufacturing and construction, apprenticeships become a crucial means to provide training, improve job prospects and bridge the widening skills shortage that threatens to cripple our economy in the years ahead.
In September of this year, the Morrison government announced their expanded support to help apprenticeships finish their training, as a way to secure Australia’s workforce. The $3.9 billion Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements program will extend support into the second and third year of an eligible Australian Apprenticeship through the $716 million Completing Apprenticeship Commencements program.
Like the government, we believe that apprenticeships, particularly in high skilled trades, are of crucial and continuing importance to the Australian economy – and to the success of our industry. Apprenticeships are essential to the development of a skilled and respected workforce. By involving young people in a company environment and providing hands-on learning from experienced tradespeople, apprentices gain the skills and experience to will help them succeed in their chosen career path. Many apprenticeships are followed by work placements, as companies take in a talented generation they’ve helped to teach.
We also believe that by supporting apprenticeships, companies like us can help Australia compete on a global scale in sectors like defence, data security and technology. Being competitive in innovation and technological development support company growth and expansions, in turn feeding back into the economy and creating even more apprenticeship positions.
At Alliance SI, we are passionate about helping to shape young people’s learning experiences through successful apprenticeship programs. In our experience, apprentices have contributed to the company’s productivity and improved our business practices, enabling experienced staff to concentrate on key areas of work while our apprentices manage other daily tasks. Apprentices can also bring a fresh approach to the workplace – their willingness to learn can bring new ideas and fresh insights to the team as a whole.
Contact our HR team if you’re interested to learn more about the benefits of an apprenticeship with Alliance SI. Or check back next week when we share some feedback from Andrew Wright, an apprentice with Alliance SI working out of our Brisbane office. He offers some insights into the highs and lows of learning on the job, and working with team Alliance SI!