Apprenticeships Take Centre Stage in National Observance Week

Attaining tradie status is as iconically Aussie as stubbies and thongs. So why aren’t apprenticeships offered the same esteem and admiration as other career pathways?

MIGAS Apprentices & Trainees CEO, David Hoey, believes it’s long past time that changed.

“Dedicated apprenticeship weeks have been celebrated internationally for close to 20 years, in particular across the UK and in the United States,” Mr Hoey said.

“We celebrate nurses and teachers…and rightly so…we spruik the importance of vocational training and university studies – why not the efforts and hopes of over 370,000 apprentices and trainees in training who will help address the skills gap in our country,” he said.

MIGAS first marked National Apprenticeship Week Australia (NAWA) in 2022 and since then it’s quickly earned its place alongside other major career observance weeks.

“The aim of the annual NAWA campaign has been to lift the bar for Australian Apprenticeships and to move it beyond cultural stereotypes, “dirty trade” quips and the deeply flawed thinking that an apprenticeship is only ever a second choice pathway,” Mr Hoey said.

“Trades careers are rich, varied and incredibly lucrative. Yes, the trades are represented by chippys, sparkys and brickys – but they’re also business owners, project managers, consultants and entrepreneurs.”

“We want to see the apprenticeship narrative move forward and provoke new thinking around industry disruption, new energy careers, and the impact of artificial intelligence and automation. An evolving apprenticeship model will play a vital role in Australia’s future,” he said.

Mr Hoey said valuing apprenticeships starts in the home and the classroom.

“It’s uplifting to NAWA play a role in the myths and misconceptions about pursuing a trade outcome via an apprenticeship losing their grip over career decisions in the home and hallways of secondary schools,” Mr Hoey said.

“The National Apprenticeship Week Australia 2024 theme is, “It’s all in your hands”, and that’s exactly what apprenticeships do – place the power to create one’s own future in your hands, build self-worth and turn personal strengths in to a lasting, rewarding career.”

“It’s a learning pathway that builds character, confidence and commitment by learning on-the-job from real experiences, and from people who are invested in your development,” he said.

National Apprenticeship Week Australia is celebrated in the second full week of February – this year from 12 to 18 February 2024. Visit www.nationalapprenticeshipweek.com.au for inspiration.

Visit the MIGAS Jobs Board for apprenticeship and traineeship vacancies.