The recruiting and training of apprentice musicians in the Australian military in the 1950s

In 1951 the Australian military introduced an apprentice musicians course to their recently formed Military Apprenticeship Scheme. This decision was made to increase dwindling personnel numbers in Australian military bands. However, unlike other apprentices under the scheme, early apprentice musicians did not receive any formal trade qualifications upon completion of their course. This article explores the recruitment and training of apprentice musicians in Australia in the 1950s. It examines the Australian military s attempts to both compensate them for their lack of formal qualifications, and create a long term career structure within the military for graduates of the apprentice musicians course.