By hiring an apprentice or trainee, you have access to a pipeline of highly dedicated and eager-to-learn team members, while also contributing to the growth and development of the next generation of Australian workers. Additionally, you may be eligible for government financial incentives.
When you take on an apprentice or trainee, they'll work alongside you either full-time or part-time, receiving comprehensive training that combines formal instruction from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and valuable on-the-job experience.
Your first step is to find out whether an apprenticeship or traineeship is available in your industry. You can find industry information on the YourCareer website.
Find the best apprentice or trainee for your business
When looking to build your team, MEGT can help you find the right match from a wide range of industries across Australia.
Group Training: Looking for a full-service recruitment solution? MEGT’s GTO recruits and employs your apprentice or trainee and remains their legal employer. We'll pay their wages, monitor their training, and make sure they have the mentoring and support they need along the way. All you need to do is provide day-to-day work, supervision, and on-the-job training as your apprentice or trainee works towards a nationally accredited qualification. Find out more about our GTO service.
Australian Apprenticeship Support Services: Want to hire your apprentice or trainee directly? MEGT is Australia’s single largest Apprentice Connect Provider and provides free services including sign-up and administration of apprenticeships and traineeships, assistance with government financial incentives, and ongoing support and mentoring for you and your apprentice. To help you find the right apprentice, register for our free Job Board where you can post unlimited job ads. You'll also have access to a comprehensive Employer Toolkit to help you through every step of your recruitment process.
Financial incentives are available for employers
The Australian Government offers financial support to eligible employers to help with costs associated with hiring apprentices or trainees.
MEGT will check your eligibility for government financial incentives and provide expert advice and assistance throughout the time you employ an apprentice or trainee.
For more information visit our guide to incentives.
Your responsibilities when you hire an apprentice or trainee
When you take on an apprentice or trainee, you must ensure that:
- You have a suitably qualified person to supervise your apprentice or trainee at all times
- On-the-job training will enable the apprentice or trainee to become a competent worker
- Your apprentice or trainee is allowed to attend off-the-job training if it applies
- Your apprentice or trainee is released from routine duties to complete on-the-job training when required
Find out about your legal rights and obligations and read about as your apprentice or trainee's rights and obligations.
Supporting your apprentice through to completion
Australian Apprenticeships are competency-based, which means completion can occur at any stage as long as all parties agree that the required skills have been achieved.
Most apprenticeships last four years while traineeships are shorter with one or two years needed.
When the time comes to complete the apprenticeship or traineeship, we can assist with this process.
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TitleWhat is a Training Contract?
Before an apprentice or trainee starts, the employer and apprentice or trainee enter into a Commonwealth Government Training Contract which clearly outlines each party’s responsibilities and entitlements.
Each state has a different outline of the Training Contract, but you as the employer normally have 14 days to contact an Apprenticeship Network, like MEGT, to initiate the signing and registration of the contract.
You cannot hire an apprentice or trainee without an Apprentice Connect Provider.
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TitleWhat is an Apprentice Connect Provider?
MEGT is an Apprentice Connect Provider contracted by the Australian Government to provide Australian Apprenticeship Support Services in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory.
You cannot hire an apprentice or trainee without an Apprentice Connect Provider.
MEGT will help handle tasks such as finalising your training contract, finding the right Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and to help you to understand which incentives you could claim.
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TitleHow much should I pay my apprentice or trainee?
An apprenticeship or trainee wage depends on the agreement, award, or legislation they are covered by.
If you’re not sure if your apprentice or trainee is covered by an agreement, award or legislation, the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) is here to help.
By answering a few simple questions, you can find out which agreement, award or legislation covers your apprentices or trainees, and their minimum pay rates and working conditions.
Visit the PACT calculator or call Fair Work on 13 13 94 for more information.
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TitleWhat are the training fees and materials for apprentices?
Many awards say that employers need to pay any compulsory fees and charges related to the training. These fees are set by the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and can include:
- Costs of providing the training
- Course and assessment materials
- Built-in costs for textbooks
Depending on the RTO, one fee may be charged for a course or separate fees for different items.
Find out more about reimbursement of training fees and textbooks for apprentices and trainees on the Fair Work website.
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TitleHow do I stay on top of wage and working conditions updates?
With wages and working condition legislation continually being reviewed and updated, it can be difficult for employers to keep up with these changes as they occur – especially with the amount of information included in each award.
Register an account with Fair Work to be notified about changes to pay and conditions relevant to your workplace. You’ll also have access to the Fair Work team via web chat to get all the answers you need when you need them.
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TitleDo I need to pay my apprentice or trainee for the time they spend in training or at trade school?
The time your apprentice or trainee spends offsite attending formal training is paid time and is included in their ordinary hours of work (e.g. 38 hours per week).
Once you’ve developed a formal Training Plan with the RTO and agreed with your apprentice or trainee and their RTO about how often they will go to trade school (e.g. one day per week or week blocks of training), you must then ensure your apprentice or trainee is given this time to attend training.
If your apprentice or trainee doesn’t attend trade school when they’re supposed to, they don’t get paid for that time (unless they’re on sick leave or another type of leave).
Find out more about paying apprentices and school-based apprentices or trainees to attend training on the Fair Work website.
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TitleIs there recognition of previous skills or experience?
Your apprentice or trainee can receive prior learning credits from past jobs, training, or experiences.
They can access this through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessments conducted by their Registered Training Organisation (RTO) at the time of enrolment.
RTOs also conduct Recognition of Current Competency (RCC) assessments for apprentices who have already completed some formal training in the relevant field.
