Labor leader Bill Shorten says the number of apprenticeships has slumped since the Coalition took office. Is he correct?

“‘Apprenticeships’ as shorthand for apprenticeships and traineeships:

Associate Professor Shah told Fact Check that using “apprenticeships” could be problematic.

“There is some confusion and mixture and blurring of lines between traineeships and apprenticeships in some occupations,” he said.

“So, in an election environment, people are going to step into grey areas.”

But Dianne Dayhew, the executive officer of the National Apprentice Employment Network, said Mr Shorten’s use of the shorthand reference was “technically correct” as the term “apprenticeships” was used by the government itself.

However, she conceded it could be unclear to those unfamiliar with the differentiation between traditional apprenticeships and the more recently designed traineeships.

“Apprenticeships is often a term used by government for the collective of apprenticeships and traineeships. It can be confusing,” she said.”