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Getting started

Apprenticeships and traineeships are a great way to start a career or change career direction.  They involve gaining a recognised qualification while you earn money and learn your job.

Before you start an apprenticeship or traineeship you’ll need to know

  • What apprenticeships and traineeships are available
  • How you start an apprenticeship or traineeship 
  • Who can help and what assistance is available to you

Choose an apprenticeship or traineeship

There are some great careers and industries out there. Do some research; find out what interests you; find the boom jobs and plan your future. Check out these sites:

Career Choices Videos - listen to apprentices and trainees tell you why they chose an apprenticeship or traineeship and see some of what they have learned. 

Nearly every industry has a website that provides career and training information. eg, LINC, the Transport and Logistics industry site. 

There are over 500 apprenticeships or traineeships.  There is bound to be one to match your interests and skills.

You can even start one while you’re at school. 

Find a job

Search for apprenticeship and traineeship vacancies through:

Don't forget the newspapers and online recruitment agencies.

Ask larger organisations about how they recruit, and ask businesses in your local area what their needs are, what they look for in an apprentice or trainee.

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Starting an apprenticeship or traineeship

There are five steps to getting your apprenticeship or traineeship started

Choose the right qualification You and your employer should agree on the appropriate qualification that will meet your career goals and be suitable for the workplace.
Sign a contract Once you have started work, an Australian Apprenticeships Centre (AAC) helps you and your employer complete a Training Contract and Training Plan Summary
Training Contract is lodged Your AAC lodges your Training Contract with the NSW Government authority - State Training Services
Contract is approved Once approved you will receive a confirmation letter and a Training Contract ID number or TC ID ( a very important number - don't loose it!)
You are registered

Once your probation has been completed (1-3 months) your apprenticeship or traineeship is considered "registered".

Probably the first thing you and your employer need to do is contact an Australian Apprenticeships Centre (AAC) or a State Training Services centre to get advice on the qualification best suited to the workplace and find a suitable registered training organisation (RTO).

The AAC will help you and your employer complete the following documents:

A Training Contract - this is a legal agreement which officially establishes your apprenticeship or traineeship. It tells you

  • what qualification you are doing
  • how long your apprenticeship or traineeship will go for
  • the industrial instrument or award you're employed under, employment conditions, pay, leave
  • who your registered training organisation (RTO) is.

A Training Plan Summary. This contains information such as

  • your qualification
  • training arrangements
  • who will train you

A Full Training Plan is then developed in the following 6-12 weeks. The training plan will detail

  • units of competencies you will have to achieve
  • critical dates
  • mode of delivery (class room, one to one, block release etc)
  • assessment details
  • training materials to be provided.

Make sure you are given a copy of the Training Contract, the Training Plan Summary and the Full Training Plan. Keep them safe.

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Assistance for people with disabilities

If you have a disability you might be entitled to financial support to help you obtain and complete an apprenticeship or traineeship.  There are employment agencies that specialise in providing assistance tailored to your individual circumstances.

Your employer may be eligible for financial help when they employ a person with disability.

This can include wage subsidies through the Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support (DAAWS) program, or assistance to modify or adjust your workplace through the Employment Assistance Fund.

Assistance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

As an apprentice or trainee, you may be able to receive mentoring support under the Way Ahead for Aboriginal People program.

Way Ahead mentors can

  • provide you with guidance and support during your apprenticeship or traineeship
  • help you cope with some of the social and organisation pressures faced by Aboriginal people in the workplace.

For support from a Way Ahead mentor, please contact your local State Training Services centre on 13 28 11.

There are also programs available if you're starting a new career or a new business.

Assistance for mature aged workers

Over 25 and thinking about doing an apprenticeship? The Commonwealth is offering assistance through the Support for adult Australian Apprentices payment initiative.  For more information download the factsheet.

The Productivity Places Program (PPP) may also provide assistance to people looking to re-skill or obtain new qualifications.

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What do you need to do to complete your apprenticeship or traineeship?

Apprenticeships and traineeships are successfully completed when you have

  • successfully completed your qualification (your formal or off-the-job training)
  • your employer agrees you are competent at your job.

The steps are:

  • Your RTO issues you with a qualification.
  • Your employer advises State Training Services that you have completed your on-the-job training successfully.
  • State Training Services issues with you a certificate.

When you complete a traineeship or apprenticeship you will get one of the these certificates from State Training Services

  • a Certificate of Proficiency if you have successfully completed the formal and workplace training
  • a Craft Certificate to apprentices who have successfully completed workplace training but not the formal, ie you do not have a Qualification from an RTO. (You can upgrade to a Certificate of Proficiency later.)
  • a Certificate of Completion to trainees who have successfully completed workplace training but not the formal, ie you do not have a Qualification from an RTO. (You can upgrade to a Certificate of Proficiency later.)

Competency based completion (previously 'early completion')

If you get through assessments more quickly and are able to prove your skills in the workplace, you may be able to complete your apprenticeship or traineeship earlier.

To do this:

  • your employer must agree
  • lodge an competency based completion application to State Training Services or your AAC and
  • provide a copy of your formal training qualification.

Be aware, if you successfully apply for an early completion the Training Contract will end.  This means the employer does not have to employ you anymore.

I need help

Sometimes you need some information about your apprenticeship or traineeship or it hasn't worked out like you thought it would. For example

  • your employer isn’t training you on the job
  • your training organisation is not delivering training like they said they would
  • you are being picked on at work
  • you want to leave your job; What should you do?

Try the self help section of this site first - some information or a small action or word may stop the issue becoming a problem.  Otherwise, there are people you can talk to who can help and advise you.

If you are unhappy about a situation at work, speak to your Australian Apprenticeships Centre (AAC) or contact State Training Services on 132811. 

If your are employed by a group training organisation contact them if you are having problems with your host employer.

Remember the earlier you raise an issue, the more likely it is to be sorted out.

 If you have a query about

  • wages
  • leave or
  • conditions

Contact FairWork Australia or NSW Department of Industrial Relations 

When you start your apprenticeship it is important that you keep copies of your

  • Training Contract
  • Approval letter
  • Training Contract ID number (TC ID)
  • Training Plan. 

These documents contain all the information you need to know about your apprenticeship or traineeship, and are needed when seeking support and advice.

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Contacts

State Training Services - 13 28 11

Page last updated: 09 January 2012