While employing apprentices in our salons provides us with the opportunity to train and develop the next generation of beauty professionals, a recent report has found that more than 40% of apprentices are not completing their training.
The Productivity Commission report found that enrolments in apprenticeships have also dropped by 30 per cent over the last two years.
While reasons for the drop-out rate are varied, the leading concern was the length of the courses, combined with the ongoing lower salary associated with apprenticeships.
The report recommends that apprenticeship lengths be shortened, where possible, giving young people encouragement to conclude their studies and move into a higher-paying role within their salon.
However, that’s a suggestion that isn’t being received well by salon owners. Candice Vox, a Victorian salon owner, says it would be impossible to fit in everything a beautician needs to learn, in less time. “I spend the entire four years with my apprentices, ensuring they learn everything they need. To do the same in less time just isn’t possible; we would end up with unprepared students graduating for the sake of shortening a course.”
Candice believes that better-subsidising apprentice salaries, resulting in a higher pay packet, would be a better way to ensure courses were completed. “We see a lot fo beauty apprentices leave hallway through because they just can’t survive on their salary. And it’s sad because they throw in a dream to chase a bigger pay packet.”
The report does recommend an overhaul of the financial incentives to include payment two apprentices when they finish their scholarship, or during points in their training when apprentices are historically most likely to pull out of their program.
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