Apprenticeship numbers sit below where they were in 2015, even as the workforce has grown by more than 20 percent and Australia faces a housing shortage and a deepening trades skills gap. Ben Bardon, CEO of the National Australian Apprenticeship Association, explains why employers are stepping back, from shrinking government incentives to the real cost of taking on an apprentice in a tight economy. He covers why most apprentices who drop out do so in the first three months, how school-based apprenticeships and work trials lead to stronger completion rates, and how Apprentice Connect providers can step in to mediate when things go wrong. Ben also shares practical habits that keep apprentices engaged, including regular check-ins and a named point of contact, and looks at how AI is already changing the way tradies quote, schedule and run their businesses.