The latest data on building trade apprenticeships released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) is encouraging for the industry. However, the positive news is overshadowed by the prospect of even more inflationary pressure and its negative impact on the level of building activity.
Nationally, 16,018 new apprentices started on their pathway to a building trade in the March 2026 quarter, which is an increase of 9.1% on the same period in 2025. But year on year the number of completions and those quitting their training pathways effectively cancelled each other out at around 28,000 respectively.
NSW remained the strongest of the state jurisdictions with new commencements rising in both the March quarter and over the year to March 2026 and likewise for completions. Nevertheless, the number withdrawing from apprenticeships was high mirroring national stats.
But the subsequent period of strong underlying inflation worsened by escalating fuel and building product costs look set to overshadow the positivity of these results as high inflation is now seeing a reduction in demand for building services.
Apprenticeship Data Over The Year to March 2026
|
Category |
National |
% Change |
NSW |
% Change |
|
New Apprenticeship starts |
16,018 |
+ 9.1% |
5,285 |
+ 10.1% |
|
Apprenticeship completions |
8,602 |
+ 18.1% |
3,505 |
+ 30% |
|
Withdrawal from apprenticeships |
7.604 |
+ 5% |
2,498 |
+ 2.6% |
|
Still in training |
109,419 |
-5.2% |
31,222 |
-5.2% |
Apprenticeship Data Over The Year to March 2025
|
Category |
National |
% Change |
NSW |
% Change |
|
Apprenticeship starts |
39,375 |
+3.6% |
11,382 |
+9.2% |
|
Apprenticeship completions |
28,020 |
+11.3% |
8,150 |
+3.9% |
|
Withdrawal from apprenticeships |
28,124 |
-3.7% |
9,465% |
-4.6% |