In the ever-evolving landscape of Australia’s workforce, the recruitment of apprentices has emerged as a significant area of focus in 2024. This article delves into the latest trends, challenges, and strategies associated with recruiting apprentices, drawing on recent data and insights.
Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey (REOS)
The Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey (REOS) is a valuable resource that collects responses from approximately 1,000 Australian employers each month. The survey targets businesses with 5 or more employees. Since 2021, the REOS has been recording information from employers who volunteer that their most recent recruitment round was for an apprentice position.
Characteristics of Businesses Recruiting for Apprentices
Around 3% of employers surveyed in the REOS each year volunteered that they recruited for an apprentice in their most recent recruitment round. Employers most commonly recruit for apprentices in the Construction, Manufacturing, and Other Services industries.
Recruitment Difficulty
The REOS spotlight focuses on recruitment difficulty, methods of recruiting apprentices, and whether employers were recruiting for a new position or replacing an apprentice. Most of the employers included in this research operated in three industries – Construction, Manufacturing, and the Other Services industry. Of these three industries, 55% of employers in the Manufacturing industry experienced recruitment difficulty, followed by 51% for the Other Services industry. It was considerably easier for employers in the Construction industry (32%) to fill their apprenticeship vacancies.
Recruitment Methods
The methods used by employers to recruit also varies across industries. For example, employers in the Construction and Other Services industries were more likely to use word-of-mouth to hire apprentices. These two industries also appear to be much more likely to take advantage of job seekers approaching them directly as a way of filling their apprenticeships, compared with the Manufacturing industry.
In conclusion, the recruitment of apprentices in Australia’s workforce in 2024 is a multifaceted issue, influenced by a variety of factors including industry type, recruitment methods, and the challenges of recruitment difficulty. As the workforce continues to evolve, understanding these dynamics will be crucial for employers looking to successfully recruit and retain apprentices. The insights provided in this article offer a comprehensive understanding of the current state of ‘recruiting apprentices’ in 2024, providing a valuable resource for employers, policymakers, and stakeholders in the Australian workforce.
