Who we spoke to and what they said
VRQA authorised officers interviewed 50 apprentices and trainees during the campaign. These apprentices and trainees:
- were aged from 20 to 40 years, with 75% aged 20–23 years
- enrolled in qualifications related to the construction industry, including the Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician, Certificate III in Plumbing, and Certificate III in Carpentry
- were at various stages of their apprenticeships, with most in their third year of employment, while others were in their first year or nearing completion.
Apprentices and trainees were asked about the following things:
- the work that host employers were providing
- the supervision that host employers were providing
- the equipment and facilities provided by host employers
- how their off-the-job training was going and whether they were being released to attend their RTO
- whether the labour hire employer was keeping training records up to date, including their training plans
- payment of wages and conditions
- whether they had experienced any occupational health and safety issues.
Feedback received was positive, with 42 out of 50 apprentices and trainees interviewed (84%) reporting no issues. The remaining 8 apprentices and trainees raised issues including:
- sometimes working without a supervisor present
- being without a host employer
- being provided with an insufficient range of work to support their qualification
- feeling a lack of connection or engagement with their host employer
- training delivery and scheduling issues with their RTO
- general administration problems and delays.
Updated