Trade apprentices are starting and finishing but more still needed
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Photo by Jimmy Liao
More trade apprentices are completing their qualifications than ever before, according to new data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) — but industry leaders warn the gains are not enough to meet Australia’s housing construction targets.
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has welcomed the NCVER figures, describing them as an encouraging sign that Australia’s construction workforce pipeline is strengthening, while cautioning that governments cannot afford to become complacent.
Almost 59 per cent of trade apprentices are now completing their apprenticeship, with completion rates for carpenters, joiners and electricians continuing to improve. The data follows last week’s NCVER enrolment figures, which showed architecture and building was the only major field of education to record growth in 2025 — adding almost 14,000 additional enrolments at a time when overall VET qualification enrolments fell by more than five per cent.
HIA Executive Director Future Workforce, Mike Hermon, said the results pointed to meaningful progress across the training system.
“These figures tell a positive story. More Australians are choosing a career in construction and, importantly, more of them are completing their qualifications,” Mr Hermon said.
“The latest completion figures build on HIA’s recent statements that construction was the only major field of education to record growth in qualification enrolments during 2025.”
Mr Hermon said the positive trend reflected the impact of sustained investment in apprenticeships, but stressed that the figures also underscored an urgent and ongoing challenge.
HIA estimates Australia still needs around 83,000 additional skilled tradespeople to build the homes required over the coming years — a figure that puts the scale of the workforce shortfall into sharp relief, even as completion rates improve.
Compounding the pressure is intensifying competition for skilled labour from outside the residential construction sector. Mr Hermon said builders were no longer simply competing against each other for tradespeople.
“Residential builders are no longer just competing with each other. They’re competing with major transport infrastructure, renewable energy projects, AUKUS, mining developments, transmission upgrades and the rapid expansion of data centres,” he said.
“Every one of those projects is chasing the same electricians, carpenters, plumbers and other skilled trades our industry depends on.”
The breadth of that competition means even sustained growth in apprenticeship enrolments and completions may not be sufficient to meet housing construction demand without further targeted policy action.
Mr Hermon called on governments to move quickly to build on the positive trends, with a focus on supporting both apprentices and the small businesses that employ and train them — a cohort he said was central to keeping momentum alive in the training pipeline.
“The latest figures show more young Australians are coming through the front door and more are making it to the finish line,” he said.
“The next step is making sure that momentum continues by extending employer apprentice incentives, investing in high-quality training, supporting apprentice retention and ensuring targeted skilled migration complements Australia’s domestic workforce.”
The HIA has been a consistent advocate for workforce development measures tied to Australia’s national housing targets, arguing that without a sufficient supply of trained tradespeople, construction output will remain constrained regardless of planning reforms or funding commitments.
Mr Hermon said the stakes were clear.
“If Australia is serious about meeting its housing targets, we need to keep growing the skilled workforce that builds our homes. Today’s figures are encouraging, but they are only one step towards meeting the challenge.”
The NCVER data comes as the residential construction industry faces sustained pressure from elevated building costs, persistent labour shortages and a pipeline of government-backed infrastructure spending that is drawing skilled workers away from the housing sector.