Australia is training more construction workers, but the latest apprenticeship figures show how difficult it remains to turn interest in a trade into a completed qualification.
The federal government’s free TAFE construction program recorded 24,616 enrolments between January 2025 and March 2026, according to figures supplied by business software company Tradify. Enrolments, however, do not show how many students go on to qualify. National Centre for Vocational Education Research figures show that 58.7 per cent of people who began a trade apprenticeship in 2019 completed it within six years.
The more recent training figures offer a mixed picture. Active trade apprentice and trainee contracts fell 5.6 per cent in the year to March 2026, while trade completions rose 9.9 per cent. Almost 95 per cent of trade apprenticeship completers were employed after finishing their training.
The question of who will fill future jobs remains pressing. Jobs and Skills Australia estimated that construction employed 1.348 million people in May 2025 and projected that figure would reach 1.508 million by May 2035.
New Zealand has taken another approach to attracting experienced workers. Its Trades and Technician pathway, which opened in August, offers eligible migrants in specified occupations a route to residence
New Zealand has taken another approach to attracting experienced workers. Its Trades and Technician pathway, which opened in August, offers eligible migrants in specified occupations a route to residence. Applicants need a relevant qualification at Level 4 or above and must meet work experience requirements, including time worked in New Zealand.
Tradify chief executive Michael Steckler said recruitment alone would not address the longer-term need for skilled workers. “Getting more people into trades matters, but keeping them there matters more,” he said, calling for support during apprenticeships and clearer routes into business ownership and mentoring.
Daniel Lukic, a Tradify ambassador who owns Luxic Services, said the move from working in a trade to running a business brought demands that practical training did not necessarily cover. “Quoting, scheduling, communication, compliance and financial management all become important parts of the job,” he said.
Tradify says helping qualified workers establish businesses could allow them to employ and train others. Its own customer data shows higher average invoiced revenue among businesses that added staff, though that does not establish that hiring caused the increase or show how much owners took home.
The apprenticeship figures point to a more immediate test: whether the people already entering trades receive enough support to finish their training and stay in the industry.
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