House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Apprentices and Trainees APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Norwood Leader of the Opposition APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. Can the minister confirm that some employers have been waiting for more than six months for apprenticeship registration? The Hon. G. PORTOLESI House of Assembly Hartley Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills Minister for Science and Information Economy APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:42): I am happy to suss out the figures that the Leader of the Opposition has and have a look, but I am very pleased that he has raised this question because, as I mentioned earlier, we have a very, very strong story to tell. In 2002, there were 29,600 apprentices and trainees in training when we came to office. We now have 30 per cent more apprentices and trainees in training as at 2012, with more than 38,000 now learning and earning towards their qualification. The number of apprenticeship and traineeship commencements has increased 26.4 per cent from when those opposite were last in government, from around 20,000 to over 24,000. I can't verify at this point in time the figures that the leader is referring to; I am happy to go back and do that. However, what is undeniable is the massive take-up, the massive appetite that South Australians have expressed for training, and that is fantastic. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Supplementary? Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: Yes, sir.