Apprentice

Apprenticeship involves a unique blend of working and education, where the individual, known as an apprentice, is hired to learn a trade or profession directly through work experience. This is conducted under a special contract that outlines both the job duties and the learning or training requirements. Apprentices gain hands-on, practical skills in their chosen field, often complemented by formal classroom learning or certification programs. It's a structured approach that combines real-world work experience with skill development and education.

Employing an apprentice

Apprentices are employees, so they get the National Employment Standards and the pay and conditions in their modern award, which sets apprentice wage rates by year of the apprenticeship and, in many awards, by whether the apprentice finished Year 12 or is an adult apprentice. The training contract is registered with the state or territory training authority, and apprentices must be released for their training. Apprentices are not entitled to redundancy pay under the National Employment Standards. For example, a first-year carpentry apprentice is paid the first-year apprentice rate in the relevant building industry award.

Our guide to apprentice pay rates explains how the rates work.