NATIONAL CENTRE FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. Can the minister inform the house about the latest report from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research on the numbers of trainees and apprentices in South Australia?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:28): I thank the member for Port Adelaide for this question. As members would be aware, apprenticeships and traineeships are a key component of our workforce and skills centre, and each year the NCVER releases two publications looking at the number of apprentices and trainees across each state and territory.

I can report that the key findings of the 2012 report demonstrate that apprenticeship and traineeship commencements increased by 5.1 per cent, well above the national average of 2.5 for the year. As at 31 December 2012 there were 38,000 apprentices and trainees in training in South Australia, up 7.1 per cent and again, well above the national growth of 1.6 per cent, and completions rose by 7 per cent, again above the national average of 5.7 per cent.

At the same time, the proportion of South Australian workers employed as an apprentice or trainee, as at the end of 2012, has also increased from the previous year and, again, was above the national average. In fact, South Australia is ranked third among Australian states and territories in overall training rates in 2012 for apprentices and trainees employed.

Also worth noting are the NCVER statistics that compare the last 10 years. In 2002, the number of people in training for an apprenticeship or traineeship was 29,600 and, in 2012, that has risen to 38,000. This means that we have almost 10,000 more people learning and earning through an apprenticeship or traineeship—this is very, very important. I take this opportunity to extend my best wishes to our apprentices and trainees in South Australia and offer them my best wishes for their future.