Employer responsibilities

In the beginning

As part of your early responsibilities, you must:

select an Australian Apprenticeships Centre (AAC) and supervising registered training organisation (SRTO), in consultation with the apprentice or trainee
make sure a training contract is signed by all parties before the end of the probationary period and send it to your AAC
negotiate a training plan with the apprentice or trainee and the SRTO
work with the SRTO to make sure that
- your workplace has the range of work and facilities needed for training
- there is an acceptable number of tradespeople or qualified people in your workplace
- the apprentice or trainee will be adequately supervised when they are in your workplace
go through the induction information with the AAC, SRTO and the apprentice or trainee and cover all other obligations required of an employer, including those related to safety and fair treatment.

Through the life of the apprenticeship or traineeship you must:

deliver training and provide the facilities, range of work and supervision as specified in the training plan
release your apprentice or trainee from work duties to participate in training, as outlined in the training plan
check that the training record has been updated at reasonable intervals (not more than 3 months)
provide school-based apprentices and trainees (SATs) paid employment for a minimum number of days each year (SATs that commenced or re-commenced on or after 1 January 2013 require at least 50 days, SATs that commenced or re-commenced prior to 1 January 2013 require a least 48 days and electrotechnology SATs require at least 80 days)
pay the wages and provide the entitlements specified in the relevant award (call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for more information on wages and entitlements)
not terminate employment unless the apprenticeship or traineeship is completed or training contract has been cancelled.

You will need to keep records and documents relevant to the apprenticeship or traineeship including:

the registration of apprenticeship or traineeship letter received from the department
copy of the training contract
copy of the training plan
details of your apprentice or trainee's attendance at training (provided by the SRTO)
all correspondence with the department.

You must notify Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 within 14 days of any of the following events:

agreement by the parties to amend or cancel the training contract
temporary assignment of the training contract (that is, an arrangement for the apprentice or trainee to work temporarily with another employer and receive training in required competencies)
sale or disposal of the business
dissolution of a partnership
the apprentice or trainee is failing to make reasonable progress
if the apprenticeship or traineeship will not be completed within the nominal term and an extension is needed
where the buyer of a business agrees to continue to train an apprentice or trainee, both the buyer and the previous employer must give notice of the agreement—when this happens, the training contract is taken to be assigned to the buyer of the business (the new employer).