The issue:

The shortage of apprentices in Australia is particularly sharp - there are simply not enough recruits to meet demand.

Many businesses, trades-people and companies affirm that apprentices are simply hard to find, and even harder to retain. The constant turnover of trainees is a real burden for employees seeking loyalty and commitment, says Barbara Meredith, a small-business owner.

The mining sector is especially feeling the pressure, and is desperately in need of about 70,000 workers.

Why are apprentices not keen?

One factor is the pay. The President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Sharan Burrow, says that low apprentice wages are a serious deterrent for young people. She says that "apprentices right around the country are paid as little as $8 an hour...They can earn more in the fast food industry, in retail."

Another reason is that many valuable, older apprentice-workers and mentors are reaching retirement and because there are not enough keen and able younger apprentices to take their place or be inspired by their skilled, fore-generational counterparts, there is a serious halt in the flow of new/trainee workers taking on trades and apprenticeships.

Solutions?

The Rudd Government has introduced measures to tackle the problem, though unions warn that it will take years for the benefits to actualise.

Faced with the alarming prospect of a shortfall of 240,000 skilled workers by the year 2016, the Federal Government has introduced a number of measures to try and curb the crisis, including even recruiting retirees as student mentors to help maintain the foundation of knowledge in training the next generation, as older workers/trainers retire.

The ACTU feels that our reliance on recruiting overseas workers is long-term poor solution to the problem. If we are to have a prospering and stable nation of skilled and dedicated workers and trainees, especially in the trade jobs, then governments and businesses must boost their commitment to structured, on-the-job training.