‘The extinction of the tradie’: Claims blue collar workers in Australia could be a dying breed as apprentice numbers ‘fall off a cliff’
- Australia is facing the ‘extinction’ of the tradesman, the Opposition has warned
- Warning comes as $1billion shortfall emerges in government vocational funding
- ‘Is it any wonder our TAFEs are in disrepair?’ Labor education spokeswoman said
- The criticism has been labelled a ‘complete fabrication’ by employment minister
Australia is facing the ‘extinction’ of the tradesman amid a sharp downturn in apprentice numbers, the Opposition has warned.
Labor’s education and training spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said TAFE institutions were also fading into disrepair in what she described as a ‘skills crisis’.
The prediction came as the party slammed the government for under-spending almost $1billion on vocational programs and training initiatives.
Australia is facing the extinction of the tradesman amid a sharp downturn in the number of apprentice numbers, the opposition has warned (stock image)
The Department of Education’s annual report for 2018-19 showed while $5.27billion was budgeted over five years, only $4.35billion was spent over the same period.
‘Is it any wonder that under Scott Morrison our TAFEs are in disrepair and apprentice and trainee numbers have fallen off a cliff?’ Ms Plibersek said, according to The Age.
It comes after statistics released earlier this year showed the number of jobs available across 100 trades and services industries had dropped by 20 per cent.
‘If the Liberals don’t do something serious to fix the skills crisis they have created, we could be looking at the extinction of the Australian tradie,’ she added.
The criticism was labelled a ‘complete fabrication’ by employment minister Michaelia Cash.
She said the reduced expenditure was the result of a lack of demand for vocational programs.
Labor’s education and training spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said TAFE institutions were also fading into disrepair in what she described as a ‘skills crisis’ (stock image)
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced he would be joining forces with TV personality Scott Cam to get more young people working with tools.
The Gold Logie winner and host of The Block’s role will be to highlight how practical and technical training can lead to high-paying and fulfilling jobs.
Mr Morrison said university, which had become the default expectation for young people, wasn’t the only path to success.
‘I want to see more Australians become plumbers, electricians and bakers than lawyers and consultants. I would like to see more of them going on to become their own boss,’ he said.
It comes after statistics released earlier this year showed the number of jobs available across 100 trades and services industries had dropped by 20 per cent (file image of workers on a new housing estate in Oran Park in Sydney’s west)