How to employ an apprentice or trainee
Step 1: Choose the right apprenticeship or traineeship
This means:
- deciding what the job involves
- identifying the skills required for the job
- choosing the type of apprenticeship or traineeship
- choosing the most appropriate apprenticeship or traineeship—browse the A-Z of apprenticeships or the A-Z of traineeships or contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210.
Step 2: Decide how to employ the apprentice or trainee
Apprentices and trainees can be employed:
- directly by your business (you will manage their employment and training)
- through a group training organisation on a short- or long-term basis, where you act as the host employer—visit the Group Training Association website or call 1800 819 747 to become a host employer.
To employ an apprentice or trainee directly, your business must:
- provide the range of work and facilities required to train them
- have a tradesperson or qualified person who is able to supervise the apprentice or trainee's work-based training.
Employing school-based apprentices and trainees
You must be able to provide your school-based apprentice or trainee paid employment for a minimum number of days* for each year of their school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.
Training contracts that commenced or re-commenced:
- on or after 1 January 2013 require paid employment for a minimum of 50 days each year
- prior to 1 January 2013 require paid employment for a minimum of 48 days each year.
All training contracts in electrotechnology require paid employment for a minimum of 80 days each year.
*The definition of a ‘day’ for the purpose of this policy is a minimum of 7.6 hours (unless a greater figure is specified in the relevant industrial award).
Depending on their school timetable and your requirements, the student may work with your business:
- 1 or more (full or part) days a week—they will attend school on the remaining days
- for blocks at a time
- on weekends, school holidays or after school.
Their employment and training must impact on their school timetable for the program to be considered school-based, rather than a part-time apprenticeship or traineeship. Their school must also be involved and give consent.
Step 3: Find the right person
Apprentices and trainees can be recruited by:
- visiting Job Services Australia or calling 13 17 15
- advertising in the paper or on a recruitment website, or using a recruitment company
- contacting your local registered training organisation to find students who have finished relevant introductory training who may be interested in an apprenticeship or traineeship
- advertising internally to your current employees
- searching tradeapprentices.com.au for an out-of-trade apprentice
- contacting your local high school. They will have information on
- school–industry partnerships in your local area
- school leavers who may be looking for an apprenticeship or traineeship.
Step 4: Choose your training partners
Work with an Australian Apprenticeships Centre
Australian Apprenticeships Centres (AACs) provide a free service to help businesses engage an apprentice or trainee (this is known as the commencement process).
You must work with an AAC to complete the training contract—a legally binding agreement between you and the apprentice or trainee to work and train together for a length of time. If the apprentice or trainee is under 18, their parent or guardian must also sign the training contract.
The AAC will also provide information on available funding and incentives.
Find your local AAC or call 13 38 73.
Choose a supervising registered training organisation
Supervising registered training organisations (SRTOs) are registered training organisations (such as a TAFE or private registered training organisation) who deliver training and assessment to an apprentice or trainee under a training contract.
Find an SRTO by:
- visiting the Queensland Training Information Service
- contacting Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 or via email apprenticeshipsinfo@qld.gov.au
- working with your AAC.
Things to discuss with your SRTO:
- what skills your apprentice or trainee needs to learn
- how and when training can be delivered, and what training methods are on offer
- if training is conducted on or off the job (or combination), and the timing (e.g. certain days per week or block training)
- who will assess the apprentice or trainee, and when this will take place
- learning assistance (e.g. help with literacy or numeracy skills, or support for apprentices or trainees with disability)
- feedback or progress reports.
The SRTO will:
- help develop a training plan
- deliver the training
- assess achievement of skills
- issue the qualification on successful completion.
Step 5: Get started
Complete the paperwork
The training contract and training plan must be completed and lodged with your AAC during the probation period.
Make sure that you understand and check the information in the training contract before you sign it.
Once the training contract is registered, you and your apprentice or trainee will receive a letter from the Department of Education, Training and Education (DETE) and a copy of the training contract from your AAC.
If the contract is cancelled, DETE may take action including:
- recovering funds provided for training
- recovering incentives and allowances
- prosecuting for breaches of the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 (QLD) (PDF, 1.3MB).
Use the probation period to be sure
The probationary period allows you and your apprentice or trainee to work together before deciding whether you both wish to continue.
Probation begins on the apprentice or trainee's first day and usually lasts 90 days for an apprentice and 30 days for a trainee.
If you need more time to decide whether to continue with the apprenticeship or traineeship, you can amend the probationary period. Any change to the length of probation must be made before the end of the probationary period.
