The research team at AUSMASA sat down with the Motor Trade Association of Western Australia (MTA WA) to explore how their school-based program is focusing on broadening the on-ramp into automotive careers and enabling better retention for early career workers and apprentices.
Tell us about the academy
The AUR20720 Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation is a school-based qualification delivered by MTA WA's Automotive Institute of Technology and embedded within the Western Australian Certificate of Education. Students in Years 11 and 12 complete 12 units of competency covering safe working practices, engine servicing, battery testing, and basic electrical systems, alongside a minimum of 30 hours of industry work placement coordinated by MTA WA. Results appear on students' Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) statements, giving them a nationally recognised credential before they leave school.
What challenge or issue is this program trying to address?
Many young people who could thrive in the trade never encounter it at the right moment. The school-to-work transition carries the highest apprenticeship attrition, often because students arrive without any prior workshop experience. Employers lose time and investment when apprentices leave early, and the industry loses potential talent that might have stayed with better preparation.
How are you addressing it?
By bringing the workplace into the school years. Students spend time on tools in a real training environment while still completing their WACE studies. MTA WA manages match students to workplaces, removing a significant logistical barrier for many small businesses. Host employers get to observe potential apprentices before making any hiring commitment, which is an effective, low-risk way to find good candidates.
What impact have you seen?
Students who come through the program arrive at their apprenticeship with a clearer sense of what the trade demands. Attrition in that critical first year is lower, and employers consistently report better readiness. MTA WA's recognition as WA Large Training Provider of the Year in 2024, and bronze at the Australian Training Awards, reflects the broader quality of the training ecosystem this program anchors.
Anything else you'd like to share?
As the vehicle fleet becomes more technologically complex, the window for attracting young people into the trade is narrowing. The vocational preparation pathway is not a peripheral add-on, it is a deliberate investment in making the pipeline more robust and more resilient to the workforce pressures already facing the industry.
Help us inspire future talent!
Share your automotive journey with us and help bring real career pathways to life. Your story can inspire future talent and showcase the skills and opportunities driving the industry forward.
Contact us at research@ausmasa.org.au.