Being an apprentice can be tough, but it should be a chance to learn, not something to survive. Improving retention in trade apprenticeship programmes can be as simple as being honest about pay and expectations, making time for training, checking in regularly, and helping them build their skills and see a future with your business.
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The promise of good money once qualified won’t pay for this week’s petrol. Apprentices have bills to cover now, with tools, travel, and training costs on top.
In Australia, NCVER’s Apprentice and trainee outcomes found that 27.7% of people who left their apprenticeship claimed dissatisfaction with pay, alongside working conditions as their main reason. An almost identical percent, 27%, said low pay was what made them leave in England’s Apprenticeship Evaluation.
Getting to work can also be a hurdle for apprentices. An American electrical-apprentice retention study found that 51% of apprentices surveyed struggled with work travel costs, including fuel and overnight stays.
So, what's the solution? Be clear about what your apprentice will earn and what they’ll need to pay for throughout their entire apprenticeship. It'll be your responsibility to check you're paying the minimum rate for their country, trade, age and training stage. Before they start, explain when their pay increases and help them access any financial support available to them.
Keep that conversation going. Transport and tools can take a chunk out of an apprentice’s pay. If they’re struggling, or haven't factored in all their expenses, finding out early gives you time to work through the options together.
There’s nothing wrong with asking an apprentice to tidy up or collect materials. It becomes a problem when that’s most of their day. Nobody qualifies by making the best cup of tea.
In Ireland’s 2024 National Survey of Apprentices, 38% of respondents said they were frequently asked to do tasks unrelated to their apprenticeship. England’s evaluation found that 46% of surveyed non-completers said training wasn’t as good as they had hoped.
Look back over your apprentice’s recent jobs. What have they learned? What have they practised? If the answer is mostly where the wholesaler is or where to find the left-handed screwdriver, it’s time to review the work you’re giving them.
The job runs late. Tomorrow’s customer wants an earlier start. The apprentice’s assessment can wait until next week.
That’s an easy pattern to fall into when you’re busy. In England’s evaluation, 43% of surveyed non-completers said their employers didn’t have enough time for learning or training.
Make sure your apprentice knows someone they can ask for help without feeling judged. If that's you, be honest with yourself and them how often you'll set dedicated time to their learning. Their mentor should explain tasks, check their progress, and make time for questions. A US study of electrical apprentices found that 76% of apprentices still in training reported having a supportive mentor, compared with 49% of those who had left.
Lock your training commitments into the schedule and give your apprentice someone they can go to with questions. They shouldn’t have to wait for a quiet week that never arrives.
Once an apprentice can handle familiar tasks, it’s easy to assume they’re doing fine. But keeping them busy on site doesn’t necessarily keep their training on track.
Keep a short monthly check-in in the diary:
You don’t need to become their tutor. You do need to make room for the experience, feedback, and supervision that help them progress.
Before day one, talk through the hours, travel, pay, study commitments and costs. Explain what the first few months will look like, including the basic jobs and the skills they’ll start learning.
Put the main details in writing, including who supervises them and what happens on training days.
Give them time to ask questions, too. Talking things through before they start helps you both know what to expect. For more tips on getting started, check out our guide to training an apprentice.
“You’ll pick it up as you go” leaves a lot to chance. A simple training plan gives you both something to work towards.
Ask your apprentice’s training provider which skills they need to practise over the next three months, then match them to upcoming jobs. Write down:
Keep it realistic. They might watch a task first, help with preparation next, then practise suitable parts under supervision. Give them more responsibility as their skills develop.
Review the plan monthly. If your jobs aren’t giving them the experience they need, ask the provider how to fill the gap.
A few jokes and a laugh are part of working with a good crew. But if every question gets a joke and every mistake gets a complaint, it’s hard for an apprentice to work out how to improve.
Book a short weekly check-in during paid work time. Cover what’s going well and where they’re stuck.
Be specific. “You’ve measured that accurately; now let’s work on the finish,” gives them something to build on. “How long’s this going to take?” doesn’t.
Notice progress as well as mistakes. They may be slower than the rest of the team, but getting a task right deserves a mention.
Write down required pay increases, review dates, and any extra increases you can offer as skills develop. Check the rules for your location and apprenticeship.
Ask which costs are hardest to cover. Help with tools or travel may be useful, depending on what your business can offer and what support is already available.
Talk about the role after qualification too. Explain the work they could take on, the responsibility that comes with it and the pay you can realistically offer. Ask about their plans rather than assuming they’ll stay.
An apprentice arrives on site. The instructions are in your head, the photo is on someone else’s phone and the customer remembers a different conversation.
They’re already learning the trade. Finding out what the job involves shouldn’t be another test.
Keep the address, scope, site notes, and latest instructions with the job so they can find what they need.
When Sydney electrician Daniel Simpson took on his first apprentice at Danjac Electrical, it prompted him to replace his paper-based job system.
“I can leave him to type in notes, too, so then I just check over it and make sure it’s complete.” — Daniel Simpson
Job software like Tradify makes everyday instructions and updates easier to share. The apprentice can see where they’re going and contribute to the job record.
Repeated lateness, missed assessments, or the same mistake happening again need attention. Have a private chat, explain what you’ve noticed, and ask what’s getting in the way.
It might be unclear instructions, transport, study pressure, or something outside work. Agree on what support you’ll provide, what needs to improve, and when you’ll check again.
For an overdue assessment, that could mean contacting the training provider to work out what’s missing. For a repeated mistake, it might mean showing the task again and supervising more closely.
Write down what you’ve agreed. Deal with bullying, discrimination or unsafe work immediately.
US construction needs to attract 349,000 workers in 2026 to meet demand, according to Associated Builders and Contractors’ January 2026 forecast. To do so, they've introduced the following support:
UK construction needs around 206,000 additional workers between 2026 and 2030, according to CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook. That includes replacing people leaving the industry and meeting demand for more work. Training apprentices and helping them qualify is part of meeting that need.
Ireland’s updated Careers in Construction Action Plan 2026 aims to bring more people into construction to meet housing, climate, and infrastructure needs.
Nearly half of Australia’s trade occupations were in shortage in 2025, according to Jobs and Skills Australia. Helping more apprentices qualify is part of closing that gap.
A good first step is a call to your Apprentice Connect Australia Provider. Ask what you can claim, what your apprentice can access, and how they can help throughout the training.
Employer incentive settings change from 1 January 2027, so check the rates that apply to your apprentice’s start date.
New Zealand had 24% fewer new apprentices in 2025 than in 2024, according to Education Counts. First-year retention improved from 66% to 71%, but fewer people started training.
Plan beyond the funding, too. Your apprentice will still need supervision, time to practise, and help with assessments after payments stop. Build that into your workload and budget from the start.
Start with the next month of work. Agree on the skills your apprentice will practise, who will supervise them, and which assessments are due. Book a check-in and follow through.
Keep the laughs, give useful feedback, and make sure they can see themselves improving. You’ve put time into hiring them, now help them see a future in the trade and with your business.
Before they qualify, talk about what comes next. Can you offer qualified pay, more varied jobs, or responsibility for work they’re ready to handle? Ask what they want, too. They might be keen to specialise, lead a team eventually, or have more predictable hours. Be clear about what you can realistically offer and when.
Staying should feel like a good next step. They already know your customers, your standards, and the crew. Pair that familiarity with fair pay, respect, and room to grow, and there’s a clear reason to build their career with you.
They may still leave after qualifying. Losing someone you’ve trained is frustrating, so ask what’s behind their decision. If it’s something you can reasonably improve, discuss it. If they’re ready to move on, part on good terms, the door could stay open for them to return later.
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