[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-586198-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-586198-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","understanding-the-value-of-pre-apprenticeships","Understanding the value of pre-apprenticeships","","Governments and organisations across Australia use pre-apprenticeship programs to improve apprenticeship commencement, completion, and satisfaction, yet their overall impact had not been quantified. This research tracks 60,679 pre-apprenticeship students across four jurisdictions from 2015–2021, models completion probabilities for 280,707 apprenticeship commencements from 2016–2018, and supplements analysis with interviews of students and employers. Results show stronger outcomes when students complete pre-apprenticeships aligned to the same field, with particularly notable benefits for trade apprenticeships and tailored support for specific demographics, alongside key drivers of satisfaction such as clear expectations, effective teachers, and meaningful work experience.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/understanding-the-value-of-pre-apprenticeships/586198/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/understanding-the-value-of-pre-apprenticeships/586198.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Taylor Morgan","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":33},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"How did the research evaluate the value of pre-apprenticeships?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"It used a tracking methodology for 60,679 pre-apprenticeship students across four jurisdictions, modelling completion probabilities for 280,707 apprenticeship commencements, and conducted interviews with students and employers to capture lived experience.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"When is the positive impact of pre-apprenticeships most pronounced?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"The positive effect is especially strong when students complete their pre-apprenticeship and train in the same field of education, shown by a 7.3-percentage-point increase in completion probability.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What factors influence satisfaction with pre-apprenticeship programs?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"Themes include clear program expectations, effective teachers, and accessible and meaningful work experience. Addressing gaps in satisfaction may improve completion rates and support smoother transitions.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},586198,1792170878,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":33,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":117,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":103,"preview_page_count":4},1099523885336,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","Understanding the value of pre-apprenticeships  \nJOANNE WAUGH, MELINDA LEES AND CRAIG HANSEN  \nNational Centre for Vocational Education Research  \nINTRODUCTION  \nGovernments and organisations across Australia have invested in pre-apprenticeship programs with the aim of improving apprenticeship commencement, completion and satisfaction. Understanding the value of preapprenticeships is essential for informing government funding decisions and ensuring that the most appropriate student and industry supports are in place. Until now, the impact of pre-apprenticeships on apprenticeship commencement and completion has not been quantified, and our understanding of the motivations and expectations of both students and employers regarding pre-apprenticeships has been limited.  \nThis research consisted of several complementary elements, designed to evaluate the value of pre-apprenticeshipsin delivering improved apprenticeship outcomes:  \n􀂃 a novel methodology was used to track pathways from pre-apprenticeship programs into apprenticeships and other VET for 60 679 pre-apprenticeship students from four jurisdictions between 2015 and 2021  \n􀂃 the probability of apprenticeship completion was modelled for 280 707 apprenticeship commencements between 2016 and 2018, comparing results for apprenticeships with a prior pre-apprenticeship enrolment (4% of the total cohort) to those without a prior pre-apprenticeship enrolment (96% of the total cohort)  \n􀂃 interviews with students and employers were conducted to gain insights into their pre-apprenticeship experiences.  \nWhile the findings from this research support the effectiveness of pre-apprenticeships in improving apprenticeship outcomes, their impact varies according to student characteristics and training type.  \n􀂃 The positive effect of enrolling in a pre-apprenticeship prior to commencing an apprenticeship is especially pronounced when students complete their pre-apprenticeship and train in the same field of education (7.3-percentage-point increase in the probability of completion) . Various factors may explain this: that preapprenticeships are an unofficial prerequisite for certain high-demand apprenticeships; or, that they provide students with the skills and knowledge required for the apprenticeship; or, that they stoke a passion to persist in that vocation.  \n􀂃 The effect of completing a pre-apprenticeship was particularly evident among trade apprenticeships, where there was a 4.1-percentage-point increase in the probability of apprenticeship completion. This increase potentially reflects the close alignment between the technical and skill-based pre-apprenticeship training and the hands-on, practical aspects of the apprenticeship. In contrast, non-trade apprenticeships do not show the same level of benefit from completing a pre-apprenticeship (0.8-percentage-point increase), potentially due to the more generalised nature of the pre-apprenticeship training, which may be disconnected from the content of the non-trade apprenticeship.  \n􀂃 The benefits of pre-apprenticeships to apprenticeship transition and completion are most evident for males, younger apprentices and those not identifying with an equity group. Although at an aggregate level preapprenticeships do not improve accessibility or completion for under-represented cohorts, the impact of tailored programs with interventions targeted at specific demographics, such as women in trades and First Nations peoples, should not be discounted, given that such programs have reported strong completion rates.  \n􀂃 Students enter pre-apprenticeships with diverse motivations and expectations, and satisfaction can be high, even among those who do not complete or transition into an apprenticeship, since individuals may still be exploring career options. Several clear themes emerged regarding the factors influencing pre-apprenticeship satisfaction, including the importance of having clear program expectations, effective teachers and accessible and mean","cbCaitqBCh4q7Fk2","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitqBCh4q7Fk2","pdf",1755537,"English","# Introduction\n## Research design and data sources\n## Pathway tracking into apprenticeships\n## Modelling completion probability\n## Insights from student and employer interviews\n## Key findings on program effectiveness\n## Implications for program design","[{\"question\":\"How did the research evaluate the value of pre-apprenticeships?\",\"answer\":\"It used a tracking methodology for 60,679 pre-apprenticeship students across four jurisdictions, modelling completion probabilities for 280,707 apprenticeship commencements, and conducted interviews with students and employers to capture lived experience.\"},{\"question\":\"When is the positive impact of pre-apprenticeships most pronounced?\",\"answer\":\"The positive effect is especially strong when students complete their pre-apprenticeship and train in the same field of education, shown by a 7.3-percentage-point increase in completion probability.\"},{\"question\":\"What factors influence satisfaction with pre-apprenticeship programs?\",\"answer\":\"Themes include clear program expectations, effective teachers, and accessible and meaningful work experience. Addressing gaps in satisfaction may improve completion rates and support smoother transitions.\"}]","Understanding the value of pre-apprenticeships | PDF",1792057211]