Fresh data reveals that despite Anthony Albanese’s Labor Government pledging to skill more Australians than the Coalition, Labor is presiding over a significant decline in the number of apprentices and trainees across the nation, including in our backyard.

The latest figures expose the failure of Labor’s Fee-Free TAFE policy to sustain apprenticeship and traineeship numbers, with a notable downturn across our electorate of Fadden.

In just one year under Labor, our electorate witnessed a sharp 9.16% decrease in apprentice and trainee enrolments, in stark contrast to the previous Coalition Government, which saw a substantial 41.78% increase in apprentices and trainees.

The peak of trade apprenticeships during the Coalition’s tenure has now regressed under Labor, with only 377,645 apprentices and trainees in training compared to 429,000 previously. This translates to over 50,000 fewer individuals pursuing apprenticeships and traineeships since Labor assumed office, a loss of one in ten.

Member for Fadden, Cameron Caldwell, emphasized the adverse impact of Labor’s shortcomings would hit our local community hard.

“Despite Labor’s promises to address skills shortages and expand training opportunities, their policies are failing and there are now over 50,000 less apprentices and trainees today than the day Labor took office.”

“The bottom line here is we need more apprentices and trainees in our community not less, this is a total disaster brought to you by the Australian Labor Party.”

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Skills and Training, Sussan Ley said this was a devastating blow for Labor’s economic credibility and would have serious impacts on Australia’s economy.

“Whether it is Anthony Albanese or Jim Chalmers, Education Minister Jason Clare or Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor, right across Labor’s key leadership group there have been massive drops in the number of apprentices or trainees in their own electorates.” she said.

“This puts Australia’s economy in a weaker position and brings into question our capacity to deliver on national priorities like AUKUS, the infrastructure pipeline and the housing we need to meet Labor’s out of control migration settings.”

The official government data shows that the final year of the Coalition Government in-training numbers increased in every electorate bar one, while under the first year of Labor’s skills policies the number of apprentices and trainees dropped in every electorate except four.

Despite Labor’s assurances to address skills shortages and expand training opportunities, their governance has instead precipitated a downturn in training participation nationwide.