Apprenticeships in Adelaide

[Meadows]

Hi there

 

Is anyone else with teenagers/young adults having problems finding apprenticeships in Adelaide?

 

My son will finish TAFE, Cert 2 in ElectroTechnology (Career start) in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration and there are just no adverts out there for apprenticeships, in this field.

He has been on work experience but firms do not seem interested in taking on apprentices.

 

He was at vocational college in the UK doing electrical and mechanical courses, and has done Cert 2 in Electronics and Fabrication & Welding here in Adelaide as well, so he is a good all rounder. He is getting quite dispirited about it all.

 

We are permanent residents but not here for 2 years yet, so we are still keeping him afloat, but he would rather be learning his trade, than sitting at home.

 

If anyone hears of anything in this field, please feel free to contact me.

Thanks

 

Meadows

[hitmanzak]

Try contacting Air Comfort Services, they are a good company with apprentices coming through the ranks, well worth a try.

[Meadows]

Hi there

 

Thanks for the information. My son has tried this company and at least 50 others, none are offering apprenticeships at this time. One employer would not offer an apprenticeship but said that if my son was really keen, he could go and work for him unpaid for 12 months to gain work experience! When my son politely refused, the guy ranted at him, saying young people did not want to work! Yet another guy said he had been looking for someone for 6 months but not found anyone and in the end, he sponsored someone from overseas instead, not that we ever saw any adverts for this company. My son even tried the local Job Expo at Gepps Cross a couple of weeks ago but nothing came back from any of the employers. One employer has now told him that he may be too old for an apprenticeship as once he reaches 21, they have to pay adult wages, which is why they like the apprentices to be between the ages of 16-20 as they pay them less.

 

My son is becoming very dispirited at not being able to find an apprenticeship.

Out of 8 people on my son's Cert 2 course, only 1 has an apprenticeship.

 

There are always complaints in the press about the lack of skilled workers, but if you do not train the young people of today, how will you provide your future workers?

[Guest Lorraine Doyle]

Hi,

 

You should try PEER VET, TAPS, MGET, there is a website for apprenticeships. Going through the main providers has a sense of security for him as hey place him with Company, train and educate him. I have found with 3 teenagers in apprenticeships it's the best route. My son is with PEER electrical and he loves it. We Lund it was better to go straight to them rather than wait for adverts.

 

Hope that helps.

[Meadows]

Hello and thank you for your response.

 

My son has tried Peer Veet, however he failed their entrance exam. He has enquired at the govt websites but because we have not been in country 2 years, they are unable to help him, nor can the Job Centres/CentreLink for the same reason.

 

Cheers.

[Guest Lorraine Doyle]

That's ok... He can reapply. My son was telling me about a guy he knew that applied for mechanics 5 times before he got it. Tell him to go again, head held high....

[Guest Guest5035]

apprentices these days are given the bullet at the end of it as the company then lose the grant for taking them on.

 

stevo

[Jessica Berry]

Over a year ago (when the job market was not as bad as it is now) I worked in a recruitment team at a large company and they advertised for apprentices, they had nearly 900 applications for 25 positions!!

[Mel.R]

There is new Federal funding coming into play from 1st Dec, an extra $3350 for employers who take on an apprentice in any of the NSNL construction trades. Funding is called Kick Start and hopefully it will "Kick Start" the construction industry into taking on a few more apprentices. The incentive will run from 1st Dec through to 28th Feb. With that, the standard Federal Incentives and CITB funding you may find more people advertising for an apprentice when this kicks off. I work for an apprenticeship Centre here in Adelaide so will try to keep you informed if I hear of any thing going.

 

I understand how you feel, my son wants to be a baker and is trying hard to find something too!!!

[Guest James Burrows]

Check the oil and gas sector, still on the up, I know for a fact that good technical skilled individuals are hard to come by hence my being here in Oz.

 

Try Baker Hughes (ATLAS & INTEQ), Slumberger, Halliburton, Weatherford etc.

 

I know a lot of contractors are coming through with only a heavy goods driving ticket and working up from there.

 

 

I dont know if this is of any help, PM if you would like any more info.

 

Cheers.

[Meadows]

Hi Mel R

 

Thank you kindly for that very interesting information. Fingers crossed, something might come of it.

 

Cheers

[geoffuZz]

This is a reply more for Mr Burrows really - in relation to your statement about good technical skilled individuals being hard to come by... in which area of expertise are you working? I am looking to to be coming out around next august/september time and am currently working in Natural Gas - as an instrument/metering technician.

 

Geoff

Edited November 13, 2012 by geoffuZz