Survival and decline of the apprenticeship system in the Australian and UK construction industries

Phillip Toner

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

    26 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The preservation of the apprenticeship system in the Australian construction industry contrasts with its decline in Britain over the last three decades. This decline is conventionally ascribed to changes in industrial structure, specifically a decline in the role of the public sector, intensification of subcontracting and growth of self-employment. Given that the Australian construction industry has undergone similar structural changes to those in the United Kingdom, this difference in outcome requires explanation. This article suggests that the contrasting outcomes are the result of institutional differences in the organization of the training system, employers and labour between the two countries. These institutional differences are, however, diminishing as arrangements for training and industrial relations in Australia are increasingly fashioned in the likeness of the United Kingdom.
    Original languageEnglish
    Number of pages26
    JournalBritish journal of industrial relations
    Publication statusPublished - 2008

    Keywords

    • Australia
    • Great Britain
    • apprenticeship programs
    • construction industry
    • occupational training
    • skilled labor

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Survival and decline of the apprenticeship system in the Australian and UK construction industries'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this