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AEN Newsletter - 17 October 2025
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Chairing Productive Meetings
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AI Unpacked 2.0: from Theory to Practice
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AGM & GTO Managers Meeting
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Apprentice Training Awards
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Tickets are open and are selling fast! The stage is set, and the spotlight is shining bright on Victoria’s apprentices, trainees, and Group Training Organisations. It’s time to celebrate their hard work, dedication, and remarkable achievements.
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These prestigious awards honour excellence in the group training sector and recognise the outstanding contributions of apprentices, trainees, GTO members, staff, and industry partners across Victoria. Join us in applauding the individuals and organisations shaping the future of our workforce.
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Members: Please ensure you login to the website to access the member rate.
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Apprenticeships Deliver Strong Returns – But Employers Need Greater Early Support
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Australia’s apprenticeship system has long been a cornerstone of workforce growth and opportunity, providing individuals with a clear pathway into rewarding, skilled careers. While participation rates have fluctuated in recent years, the current focus on productivity and skills shortages presents a timely opportunity to reaffirm the value of apprenticeships to Australia’s future.
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A new paper and online Tool released by the Global Apprenticeship Network Australia (GAN Australia) highlights the significant economic and social advantages of a strong apprenticeship system. Comprehensive cost-benefit modelling across multiple occupational sectors shows that employers, individuals, governments, and the wider community all benefit directly and indirectly when apprenticeships are well supported.
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Currently, Australian apprenticeship commencements are at their lowest level in over 20 years. Completion rates hover at around 55% for directly employed apprentices, and only about 10% of employers nationally participate in the apprenticeship system.
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- Cost-effective productivity: Australian Apprenticeships are one of the most efficient ways to lift productivity. For every $1 invested over a 4-year period, employers can see a return of up to $1.40, while governments and the wider community benefit by up to $4.76.
- Time to benefit: It takes approximately 1.6 to 2.6 years into a 4-year apprenticeship for employers to see a financial return.
- Strong earnings potential: Over the duration of a 4-year apprenticeship, an individual can earn more than $210,000 with no training debt.
- Pathways to careers: On average, 93% of apprentices secure full-time work in their chosen trade after completing their apprenticeship.
- Shared benefits: Governments, industry, and communities gain the most from supporting apprenticeships. Increased government financial support for employers, particularly in the early stages, can help offset initial costs until apprentices become productive.
- Group Training model advantage: Investing in the Group Training model improves apprenticeship completion rates and provides opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds and communities and supports the risks for small to medium sized businesses.
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WorkSafe Victoria have listed their workshops and events scheduled to support safety Month between 1-31 October 2025.
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There is a wide range of events and “Tradie Breakfasts” across the state to support greater awareness of OH&S.
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Victorian Opposition Leader New Shadow Cabinet
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Over the weekend the Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin has promoted Kew MP Jess Wilson to shadow treasurer as part of a new shadow cabinet line-up to take to the next state election. Jess Wilson was the shadow minister for skills and education.
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Part of the opposition's "fresh start" as Mr Battin described it, are three first-term MPs elevated to the shadow ministry because of their unique skills and life experiences.
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Evan Mulholland is now the Shadow Minister for Education Northern Metropolitan Region
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Ann-Marie Hermans has been appointed Shadow Assistant Minister for Education South Eastern Metropolitan Region
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Jobs and Skills Australia have released the Annual Occupation Shortage List (OSL), showing an easing in labour market conditions. In 2025, 29% of occupations were in national shortage, down from 33% in 2024 and 36% at the peak in 2023.
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This improvement reflects:
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- more qualified applicants entering the workforce
- higher vacancy fill rates and falling recruitment difficulty rates
- softer demand from employers.
Challenges remain
Despite the pressure easing, nearly half of trade roles and two in five professional occupations are still in shortage, particularly in health, education and construction. These gaps are weighing on industries already facing below-average productivity growth.
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Diversity matters
The data highlights that occupations with greater inclusion of women, older workers, First Nations people and people with disability are far less likely to face shortages. In contrast, male-dominated roles, especially in the trades, remain persistently difficult to fill.
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Released alongside the OSL, the Occupation Shortage Drivers identify the primary causes of shortages, including:
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- insufficient qualified applicants, especially in health, teaching and construction
- gaps in employability skills and experience (among high-skilled professionals), even among qualified candidates
- low pay, poor conditions and retention challenges driving shortages in care and service roles.
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In 2024, the number of students participating in vocational education and training (VET) in Schools increased by 5.8%, reaching a total of 266,765 students in Australia, compared with 2023. This represents an estimated 27.8% of the school population aged 15 to 19 years in Australia. Nationally, student numbers reached its highest level since the collection began in 2006.
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Whilst Queensland continues to hold the highest proportion of VET in Schools students (39.4%), student numbers rose across all jurisdictions, with the exception of Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, where they experienced a slight decline.
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In 2024, 21 515 or 8.1%, of VET in Schools students undertook a school-based apprenticeship. VET in Schools students undertaking training package qualifications were primarily enrolled in Sport, fitness and recreation (14.8%) and Business services (14.0%) training packages.
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Students undertaking training package qualifications as part of a school-based apprenticeship were predominantly enrolled in Business services (16.1%) and Community services (11.9%).
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Reece are excited to announce the re-launch of the Reece Education Resources Library, a key initiative to support and develop the next generation of apprentices.
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This web-based platform makes it easier than ever for educators to access FREE classroom-ready content, featuring enhanced filtering, document access, and a user-first design. All TAFE/VET Institutions across Australia will be receiving a link to the new library this month.
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- Tailored Content: Resources are directly aligned with the training curriculum for TAFE and VET teachers, updated regularly for daily use with apprentices.
- Scalable Platform: Simple, flexible, and easy to navigate, the platform is designed to evolve and adapt over time. The platform features the ability to capture teacher feedback
- User-Friendly Search: Powerful search and filtering options allow sorting by A–Z, newest/oldest, unit of competency, qualification level, area of study, and brand.
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The library serves as a practical reference for TAFE/VET teachers during both theory and practical sessions. It includes excellent references to Reece VAP brands and services.
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TAFE and education institutions are where our future customers begin their journey. For instance, today’s Cert III apprentices will be our customers by 2030 this platform helps us connect with them early in their careers.
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It’s also a valuable tool for new Reece staff to gain a deeper understanding of our products and their applications.
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For more information visit Reece.
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Powering Skills Organisation currently has an open survey for apprentices, aiming to gather direct feedback on their experiences.
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Early responses indicate that most apprentices feel well prepared and supported by their on-the-job training, although some have highlighted areas for improvement, often linked to workplace culture.
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PSO encourages more apprentices to participate in the 10–15 minute survey. The feedback collected will be used to inform government and key decision-makers about what’s working and what needs improvement in apprenticeships.
For more information visit Powering Skills Organisation.
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Cyber threats are a part of everyday life, but small, proactive steps can make a big difference in keeping your information safe.
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Cyber Security Awareness Month, led by the Australian Government, is a timely reminder to take action to protect your devices, accounts, and personal information online.
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This year’s theme, Building Our Cyber Safe Culture, encourages everyone to prioritise cyber security at work and at home.
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2025 Events
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There is no doubt that meetings play a pivotal role in the successful management of an organisation. But are your meetings as productive as they could be? Ineffective meetings can be a hidden expense and a source of frustration, whilst well-run meetings drive collaboration and productivity.
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This engaging session, led by award-winning facilitator Martin Probst, will provide insights into transforming unproductive meetings into efficient, creative sessions. It will assist you in establishing yourself as an expert in conducting meetings that are enjoyable, effective, and collaborative, delivering real outcomes.
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Date: Thursday 23 October
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Delivery: Online via Zoom
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Join us for an engaging session it’s a hands-on workshop designed to bridge the gap between conceptual understanding and real-world application of AI tools. Participants will explore practical use cases with Copilot Web, Copilot for Work, and other AI-powered platforms, gaining direct experience in how these technologies can streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and support decision-making across operations
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Date: Thursday 23 October
Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm
Delivery: AEN Office (83 Hobsons Road, Kensington)
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Since the program commenced in May 2020, a total of 1,394 participants have been supported to date, with 82% being male and 18% female.
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Apprentices and trainees who have lost employment are encouraged to register.
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Once registered, apprentices and trainees will be assisted by one of our program officers until placed with a host employer through a Group Training Organisation (GTO), or directly with an employer.
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Head on over to GAN Australia and subscribe to the newsletter to be kept up to date with everything that’s happening with GAN Australia and the wider VET sector?
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Thanks to our Industry Partners
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