One in eight Australian electrical apprentices are exposed to potentially deadly electrical shocks during their apprenticeship, with that figure doubling to one in four if apprentices do not commence their classroom training until after their first year on the tools.
New research by the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) shows apprentice electricians often do not start TAFE until their second year.
This delay is jeopardising safety, according to ETU national secretary, Michael Wright. The ETU survey of more than 400 apprentices was undertaken in April and May this year.
Critical safety modules on CPR, health and safety, and controlling the risk of electric shock are among the first units delivered in the classroom to electrical apprentices.
Wright said the research raises questions about the role of taxpayer-funded Apprentice Connect Australian Provider (ACAP) scheme, which funds private companies to mentor and advocate for apprentices to the tune of more than $200 million a year.
The survey revealed that one in five apprentices were unable to identify their ACAP from a list, and follow-up interviews with apprentices who had been shocked at work revealed many were unable to say what the mentor/supervisor was supposed to do.
Survey respondents said the support they received was perfunctory.
The research found that taxpayer-funded mentors failed to find training places for apprentices, did not advocate for apprentices to their employers, did not ensure that their on-the-job training was suitable or properly supervised, did not provide advice to handle disputes with employers and in some cases sided with employers seeking to fire apprentices in disputes.
Wright said the findings are deeply disturbing.
“Young people learning any trade should be taught how to work safe, get training on the tools and in the classroom, and have someone in the corner to stand up for them. We need an apprenticeship system that works for apprentices, not the other way round,” Wright said.
“We need apprentice electricians to wire Australia into the future economy and build our way out of the housing crisis.
“This research shows that our training system is failing apprentices. We are withholding key safety training until apprentices have been on the tools for more than a year, and this is doubling the rate at which they are experiencing potentially deadly electric shocks.
“We know we need more than 40,000 additional electrical workers in the next five years. We also know that nearly half of all electrical apprentices withdraw before they get their license.”
The survey findings are supported by research released by Avetta, a provider of supply chain risk management (SCRM) software.
The Avetta survey indicates an alarming disconnect between workers’ perceptions of safety and the reality of workplace protections in Australia’s high-risk industries.
Conducted in August 2025 in partnership with PureProfile, the nationwide survey of 518 professionals across manufacturing, construction, mining, utilities, facilities management and other high-risk sectors paints a picture of workplaces where confidence outpaces reality.
While nine in 10 (90%) workers feel safe most or all the time, the systems designed to protect them are often partial, inconsistent or missing altogether.
In fact, 56% of respondents admit their companies only have some risk systems in place. Even more concerning, nearly 10% claim no such systems exist at all, while 6% don’t know whether risk systems exist in their organisations.
The report, Making Every Job Safe, Every Day: Why Australian Workplaces Must Have Confidence Beyond Compliance, was released in conjunction with National Safe Work Month yesterday.
Avetta APAC vice president of operations, Luke Boyle, said the perception gap isn’t just about communication, it’s about governance.
“When employees believe they’re safe, but organisations fail to adequately mitigate risks, leaders create ticking time bombs: Rare but devastating failures that can cost lives, ruin reputations and expose companies to legal, financial and moral consequences,” he said.
While these findings highlight gaps in employee safety, they also underscore vulnerabilities for contractors, who often perform the most hazardous work yet receive the least protection.
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents are only somewhat confident or not confident at all that contractor safety standards are verified before work begins.
“This is a serious blind sport, contractors are not just filling labour gaps, they’re central to operations. If they’re under-protected, the entire workplace ecosystem is at risk,” Boyle said.
“Ensuring contractors have the same level of safety standards and risk management as permanent staff isn’t just good practice, it’s essential for preventing incidents, protecting lives and safeguarding organisational integrity.”
The report also revealed cultural vulnerabilities within high-risk sectors. Nearly two in five (38%) workers admit they have refrained from reporting safety concerns due to fear of repercussions or a belief that nothing would change.