[John 13]

Currently the federal govt is reviewing industrial relations etc. including the tertiary training sector. There have been numerous reviews, white papers etc. produced over the past five decades with the apparent aim of improving TAFE. (this name originating in the early 70s and replacing a hodge podge of state technical education systems in name only)
We have seen the Kelty review (a significant review with a wide ranging terms of reference) and subsequently the introduction of national syllabi, national modules and national units of competence for trade and traineeship training qualifications.
I am posting thread this hoping to engender some responses and opinions from personal experience. Now retired, I spent almost 90% of my time in employment involved in trade and related higher level qualifications education and training both in industry and colleges.
To put it bluntly I am of the opinion that in Australia the apprenticeship system has well and truly reached it's use by date. Many of our formally identified trade qualifications are barely utilized in many workplaces. They survive because of entrenched influence of self interest groups. These represent employer groups as well as private training organisations some unions and state licencing bodies. There are examples of all of these being in cahoots.
I will stop there for the time being.