WA university graduates can struggle to find work. Why not try a trade?

“I wasn’t expecting any response, but one business got back to me and said yes.”

Ashby began his apprenticeship and six months later started a 2½-year course at North Metropolitan TAFE.

“I finally have a career that I am passionate about,” he said.

“University is great for many people, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. My advice to young people leaving school is not to close themselves off to options based on other people’s opinions and to think carefully about where you want to be.”

“Work takes up 70 to 80 percent of your life, and you should enjoy it—and you don’t have to go to college to make money.”

The number of students choosing to study ATAR courses across WA is falling.

In 2025, the participation rate was only 27 percent of the age group leaving school.

In contrast, the number of students enrolling at TAFE has increased and there has been an increase in graduates in some professional occupations.

This increase is not surprising given the state government’s investment in low-fee and free TAFE courses.

Skills and TAFE Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson recently announced that a further six construction jobs and pre-apprenticeships will be added to the free and low-paid TAFE scheme from January 2026.

“We’re working on where those pain points are in the economy, and obviously housing and clean energy infrastructure are two areas where we want to expand that trade significantly,” he said.

“If you’re in the electrical trade, you’re guaranteed a job. These are well-paying jobs and they’re secure jobs in Western Australia.”

According to Jobs and Skills Australia, more than 90 per cent of new jobs will require post-secondary qualifications, with around 44 per cent specifically requiring a vocational qualification.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education and Workforce Development said these figures underscore “the importance of a strong, integrated higher education system that supports multiple pathways to success.”

“It is vital that all Western Australians, especially school leavers, are aware of the full range of higher education options available to them,” they said.

“Publicly funded enrollments at WA TAFE colleges have increased by 25.5 per cent since 2020, reflecting positive change among young people embracing VET as a career path.

“More than half of VET students in WA are under 25, highlighting the sector’s critical role in shaping the next generation of skilled workers.”

A new report from Pearson titled: Lost in Translationfound that college graduates now face challenges due to underemployment and uncertain career paths.

This matches data from the 2024 Graduate Outcomes Survey, which found that full-time employment for undergraduates fell to 74 percent nationwide last year.

The Job Availability Snapshot also found that entry-level jobs have declined over the past decade, accounting for less than 11 percent of all positions advertised in 2024.

Taha Haidermota, Pearson’s country president and ANU spokesman, said the traditional school-to-career route, which often supported university, was no longer fit for purpose.

“You hear a lot of conflicting things; on the one hand there’s a skills gap in Australia, and on the other hand there are people who are qualified and are struggling to find work in their chosen field,” he said.

“The report reveals that we lose $104 billion a year in the transition period between education and work or jobs.

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“And there are people behind all these numbers. Every young person who doesn’t pursue a career or find a job right away, that’s a loss of income, a loss of confidence, a loss of opportunity.”

Haidermota said the youth unemployment rate in Western Australia was around 10 per cent, almost twice that of the rest of the economy.

He called on the government and employers to consider other ways to employ people, including creating space for internships or apprenticeships and giving them skills on the job.

This is particularly true in the resources sector, which Haidermota says employs up to 50 per cent of WA’s workforce.

“This isn’t the typical scenario from the 1950s, where you get one job and keep it for 40 years; continuous learning and reskilling is important,” he said.

“We have too many employees who don’t know how to use their new skills.”

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