Vocational training in Australia: Is there a link between attrition and quality?

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the debate surrounding quality of training as it has unfolded in Australia and how concerns about high non-completion rates have entered the debate. Design/methodology/approach - This paper bases its discussion of quality in VET training on analysis of qualitative data collected from focus groups and one-on-one interviews conducted with employers, Institutes of Tertiary and Further Education, registered training organisations, trade unions and local, State and Commonwealth government representatives located in the southeastern part of Victoria, Australia. Findings - The paper shows that throughout many parts of the world a growing concern has emerged about the quality of training for apprentices and trainees in what has become an increasingly deregulated environment dominated by private interests. In Australia, where non-completion rates can be as high as 50 percent of those who commence training, government leaders at both State and Federal levels are taking a renewed interested in understanding the relationship between quality of training and non-completion rates. The paper finds that data suggesting training quality in Australia is being threatened by fully on-the-job training, the narrowing of training skills, the loss of transferable skills and a lack of training. It argues that these factors have contributed to high rates of non-completions among apprentices and trainees and that poor regulation of quality standards, government subsidies to employers and training organisations and abuse are contributing to these quality problems. Originality/value - The paper presents useful insights into the relationship between quality in training and attrition among apprentices and trainees in regional Australia.