Behavioural economist Richard Thaler is the Nobel economics laureate. His work demonstrates how our psychology sometimes stops us doing what is in our own and society’s interests and how policy makers can give us a “nudge,” using subtle incentives towards socially good outcomes. The NSW government has a behavioural economics unit which is said to be working on ways to use this approach to encourage people to take up apprenticeships. Given the decline in training enrolments over the last five years it might take more shove than nudge.