Approximately 40 per cent of hospitality apprentices are actually completing their training. Image: my-hospitality.com

Apprenticeship and trainee numbers in the hospitality industry are on the rise, but completion rates are still an issue according to the latest figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

The Centre release the Australian apprentice and trainee statistics for the December quarter 2010 and found that the number of people commencing in trade occupations increased by 21.9 per cent on the previous year.

In regards to the hospitality industry:

• There were 10,500 commencements for food trade workers, which includes bakers, chefs and butchers. This is a seven per cent increase from 2009
• 18,300 people commenced a traineeship in other areas of hospitality including as wait staff, bar and cafe employees and gaming staff. This is down seven percent on the previous year.

Sandra Pattison, general manager statistics at NCVER, said while there has been a steady increase in the number of food trade apprenticeship commencements, completion rates leave a lot to be desired.

"Completion rates are an issue in the hospitality area. With your food trade workers there's about a 40 per cent completion rate and in the other hospitality area [wait staff etc] it's about 45 per cent," Pattison told Hospitality.

She added that traditionally the foodservice and hairdressing industries produce the lowest completion rates.

"The reason why people don't finish their apprenticeship or traineeship is really to do with the workplace; they don't get along with the boss, don't like the work. Wages do come into it sometimes but they're not as strong a motivating factor as the actual work environment itself," she said.