The number of 
people starting apprenticeships and traineeships decreased in the March 2012 quarter, according to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER),
Quarterly research from NCVER, Apprentices and trainees 2012—early trend estimates, March quarter, provides seasonally adjusted data at the national level for apprentice and trainee commencements.
The number of trainee commencements slowed to 55 600 in the March 2012 quarter, down from 58 000 in the December 2011 quarter.
The decrease in trainee commencements ended the upward trend that began in the March 2009 quarter.
Apprentice commencements continued to slow, with 22 300 people starting in a trade in the March 2012 quarter, down from 22 800 in the previous quarter.
Apprentice commencements have now decreased in six consecutive quarters.
NCVER will release detailed apprenticeship and traineeship information next month, with the release of the December 2011 quarterly data. This information will ional and state/territory level in-training, completion, and cancellation and withdrawal data.
Copies of Apprentices and trainees 2012—early trend estimates, March quarter are available from www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2490.html