[4.9 EF Futura]

Regarding the need for training... i agree 100%!!

But whos responsibility?

Government? Hardly. I agree there is a place for government funding for the apprenticeship system - but its hardly their responsibility to pay the apprentices' wages on behalf of the company. Perhaps the businesses who would request such a service would like the government to train them and show them the ropes as well? It's the business' job to train the apprentice. In exchange, they have the apprentice working for them at a reduced rate of pay.

Big business? They're doing their part IMO. The large retail workshops actively seek and train new apprentices. Walk into any workshop of a large, corporate chain and ask to speak to the apprentice. I'd wager that more workshops than not will send the young lad/lass over.

The slack needs to be tightened by the small end of town. Small, owner-operated businesses and contractors are the lifeblood of industries like construction. This segment of the industry does a LOT of work on behalf of the big businesses (who rarely train their own tradesmen - theyre in the business of planning and orchestrating large constructions... they get contractors in to complete the physical/tangible aspect of a project).

Walk up to the next contractor/owner operator you see stopped for lunch/whatever. Ask if you can have a word with his/her apprentice. I'd wager that not many have time/interest/resources to be putting apprentices on - they only bother hiring qualified staff.

The new IR system makes sense. A lot of small operators could not afford the RISK of taking on an ineffective employee - knowing damn well that if they're crap, they will be stuck with them (to a certain extent).

Give the boss the option to fire a shyte apprentice and he'll start putting more of them on!