u/a-prenti

Hi all, after dropping out of my apprenticeship and TAFE a few years ago, I'm researching apprentice retention in Australia and I'd really like to hear from TAFE teachers, RTO trainers/assessors or anyone who works directly with apprentices through their training.

I'm trying to understand what happens before an apprentice cancels or drops out.

From your experience:

• Can you usually tell when an apprentice is disengaging or having problems at work?
• What are the earliest signs you notice?
• If you're concerned about someone, what happens next?
• How much communication do you normally have with their employer or supervisor?
• Do you know if they're also receiving support from an apprenticeship provider/mentor?
• Are there things the employer knows that you wish you knew — or things you know that the employer probably doesn't?
• Have you ever seen an apprentice drop out where you think earlier intervention could realistically have changed the outcome?

I'm especially interested in how information moves between the apprentice, workplace and training provider when someone starts struggling.

I'm trying to properly understand how the current system works from the business side as I only have experience as the apprentice and for me it was quite fragmented.

Would really appreciate any insight.

I'm doing some research into apprentice retention in Australia and would really like to hear from people who actually supervise, employ or work closely with apprentices.

If you've been responsible for an apprentice who was struggling, disengaging or eventually left:

• What were the first signs something wasn't right?
• Did you know they were considering leaving, or did it come as a surprise?
• Was there information that someone else — like their TAFE/RTO, apprentice support provider or the apprentice themselves — knew that you didn't?
• What did you actually do once you realised there was a problem?
• Looking back, is there anything you wish you'd known earlier?

I'm particularly interested in whether the people around an apprentice actually have enough information to step in early, or whether everyone tends to find out once things have already gotten pretty bad.

Not selling anything — I'm trying to understand where the gaps are in the current apprenticeship system from the employer/supervisor side.

Would genuinely love to hear your experiences, good or bad.

Ok, after seeing this stat it made me so curious. I was an apprentice 4 years ago and dropped out for a whole bunch of reasons.... so I want to hear from others who did drop out, thought about it or even tradies who had apprentices quit. What do you think is the reason for such a bad retention rate?

Or if you did get qualified what was your experience?

Looking at the news and saw the apprentice dropout rate is sitting just below 50%, I can't believe the numbers are this high. Who here almost quit during their apprenticeship and why? Is it harder today than it used to be to get qualified?

Was looking at the news and saw apprentice dropout rate in aus is sitting at around 50%... who almost quit and why?