South Australia has recorded some of the strongest construction apprentice activity in the nation, with latest data showing a big spike in the number of apprentices starting and completing their trade – critical to the Government's housing targets and major infrastructure projects.
A 41 per cent increase in commencements in the construction industry in the September quarter – totalling 550 new apprentices starting – is the second-highest growth across the country and nearly double the national average.
Construction industry completions went up 34.2 per cent compared to the same three-month period in 2024 – with nearly 300 South Australian apprentices finishing.
Our state was the only jurisdiction to see more construction industry apprentices in-training – defying a nation-wide decline of 7.2 per cent.
The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) apprentice and trainee figures also reveal a 19 per cent rise in South Australians starting an apprenticeship or traineeship across all industries in the September quarter.
About two thirds of the 1,885 commencements were in technical and trades occupations, including construction as well as electrotechnology and engineering – an increase of 27.7 per cent on the previous three-month period.
The Malinauskas Government's targeted investment in these priority areas is delivering more skilled workers in the right areas – and year-on-year growth.
More than 1,300 construction industry workers completed their apprenticeship in the 12 months to September 2025 – up 36.3 per cent compared to a year earlier.
NCVER data also shows a nation-leading 97 per cent of South Australian apprentices and trainees were employed or in further study after finishing their training in 2025 – the best result in the country.
This skills pipeline will be further strengthened with a host of new initiatives including:
- Over 1,000 pathways to enter the construction industry through university scholarships, apprenticeships and industry partnerships.
- Additional support for Master Builders SA's Born to Build construction apprentice program, combining hands-on training with classroom learning.
- Three new Technical Colleges in Gawler, Marden and Murray Bridge, expanding the total number to eight across the state.
- A new TAFE Trades Workshop in Mount Barker, offering construction trades to an estimated 1,200 additional apprentices.
- More than 1,000 new university, trade and upskilling opportunities for South Australians to work on the AUKUS project.
The construction industry is one of the biggest contributors to employment and the economy in South Australia – growing to around 90,000 people, 9 per cent of all employment, and adding $11.75 billion to the local economy in 2024-25.
As put by Lucy Hood
South Australia has ambitious infrastructure goals and growing the construction sector is critical to delivering on our investments.
Increased apprentice activity at every stage – from those starting their construction trade to finishing their training – puts us ahead of the eastern states, and we need that growth to continue.
These figures reflect a strong pipeline of workers in priority areas which we will keep building to meet the skills needs of our state.
As put by Master Builders SA Chief Executive Will Frogley
There are two main reasons South Australia has bucked the trend of declining apprenticeship numbers.
Our industry has consistently been one of the best performing in the nation, and we've also led the way careers are promoted.
The State Government's strong support for technical colleges and industry-leading programs like Born to Build have radically changed things for the better.
No longer is it 'Johnny, you don't have much going on, maybe you should learn a trade.' If you want to earn great money and be in high demand for years to come, building and construction is hard to beat.
As put by South Australian Skills Commissioner Cameron Baker
It's encouraging to see an increase in the number of people choosing apprenticeships and traineeships to address skilled workforce shortages, particularly in critical trade areas.
Importantly, the majority of new starters were in technical and trades occupations, and that proportion has increased steadily in recent years, reflecting the impact of government initiatives and reforms driven by the South Australian Skills Commission.
