Work expectations and other factors influencing male apprentices' intentions to quit their trade

Abstract

This study examined the current trade shortage in Australian industry from the perspective of fewer young people entering the trades. We investigated the extent to which certain variables (relationship with their boss/supervisor; relationship with their co-workers; extrinsic motivation within the compensation subscale; the use of emotion-focused coping styles rather than problem-focused styles; and apprentices' work expectations) could predict their intention to quit or stay in the job. Of the five predictors, only two (relationship with their boss/supervisor and/or their relationship with their co-workers) were found to have the ability to significantly predict intention to quit. Comparisons between Queensland and Victorian participants led to the conclusion that an apprentice's choice to stay in or leave their trade was individually specific, and was most likely not based solely on one explicit factor, but on a range of work-related factors, which they, personally, considered important.