Apprenticeship and Traineeships – Barwon Region

Apprenticeships and traineeships are excellent ways to train and develop both new and existing employees. Since much of the training happens on-site, the skills your apprentice or trainee gains can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your business. Employers may also qualify for government financial support to help with hiring apprentices or trainees.

SBATs are available to students aged 15 and over, allowing them to gain valuable skills, industry experience, and nationally recognised qualifications while still completing their education. This provides employers the opportunity to:

• Recruit keen young talent before they graduate
• Train a young person part-time in your business
• Address your business's current and future skill needs
• Offer real-world exposure to your industry

Employers must follow industrial relations requirements for all staff, including the extra obligations associated with signing a training contract for an apprentice or trainee. Properly managing these responsibilities ensures a successful apprenticeship or traineeship, while failing to do so could lead to penalties.

Employers should be prepared to commit to the full term of the apprenticeship or traineeship, to pay trade school fees, and allow enough time for their apprentice or trainee to attend trade school. If this isn’t feasible, consider hiring out-of-trade apprentices or trainees or engaging with a Group Training Organisation.

For further assistance, contact an Apprenticeship Connect Australia Provider or explore how a Group Training Organisation can support your business.

On the job
As the employer, you play a key role in helping the apprentice or trainee to learn by doing. Your workplace offers training and support so they can build real-world skills and knowledge.

Registered Training Organisation  
The RTO partners with you to create and carry out a training plan. They handle the formal training, check the apprentice’s progress, and award the qualification once everything is successfully completed.

Priority Hiring Incentive
Employers who take on new or returning apprentices in Certificate III or higher qualifications listed on the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List may be eligible for:

• $2,000 after 6 months (full-time) or $1,000 (part-time)
• $3,000 after 12 months (full-time) or $1,500 (part-time)

Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support (DAAWS)
Support for employers hiring apprentices with a disability, or those who become disabled during their apprenticeship:

• $216.07 per week (full-time), pro-rata for part-time

Australian Apprenticeship Priority List Resource
https://www.dewr.gov.au/australian-apprenticeships/apprenticeship-support#toc-australian-apprenticeship-priority-list

Use an Apprentice Connect Australia Provider
ACAP are specialists in apprenticeships and can assist you in finding the right apprentice for your business.

Find an apprentice or trainee yourself
Advertise through Workforce Australia social media, or your own network to find a suitable candidate. Once you’ve found someone, you can proceed with hiring them as an apprentice.

Use a Group Training Organisation (GTO)
GTOs can help match you with an apprentice who has the potential to succeed in your business. They manage payroll, super, leave, and entitlements, while you handle supervision and training. GTOs are particularly useful for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have the HR resources to manage apprentices directly. 

The Gordon Skills and Jobs Centre
The Gordon Skills and Jobs Centre offers free career and employment advice for everyone in Geelong and Wyndham. As an employer, The Skills and Jobs Centre will be able to assist you by promoting your vacancies and promoting your roles to their clients.

Use an Apprenticeship Connect Australia Provider

1: Meet and Interview the Apprentice
Your Apprentice Connect Australia provider will arrange a time that works for you to meet the prospective apprentice. This is your chance to get to know them and decide if they’re a good match for your business.

2: Sign Up the Apprentice
Once you’ve made your decision, your provider will help find a suitable training organisation and coordinate the signing of the training contract by all parties. After the paperwork is sorted, your apprentice is ready to start work.

3: Understand the Probation Period
The probation period gives both you and your apprentice time to settle into the training arrangement and make sure it’s the right fit. During this time, it’s important to assign tasks that are appropriate for someone just starting out and to offer support to help them grow and succeed.

The length of the probation period is outlined in the training contract, but your employment contract may take precedence—so be sure to check the details. Probation periods are typically around three months, but this can vary depending on your state and the duration of the training contract.

Use a Group Training Organisation (GTO)

1: Reach Out to the GTO
When you're ready to bring an apprentice on board, get in touch with a Group Training Organisation (GTO). They’ll arrange for you to meet and interview suitable candidates so you can find someone who fits your team.

2: Get the Paperwork Sorted
Once you’ve chosen your apprentice, let your GTO know. They’ll handle the next steps, including signing the training contract with the apprentice and the Apprentice Connect Australia provider. Since the GTO is the legal employer, they’ll also manage the admin side of things.

3: Probation Period – What You Need to Know
The probation period gives both you and the apprentice time to settle in and make sure the arrangement is working well. It’s a good idea to assign beginner-friendly tasks and provide plenty of support as they learn the ropes.

The length of the probation period is set out in the training contract, but your employment agreement might have different terms—so it’s worth double-checking. Most probation periods run for around three months, though this can vary depending on your state and the training arrangement.

Hire an apprentice or trainee yourself

1: Meet the Apprentice
Set up a time to meet the potential apprentice and have a chat to get to know them. If they seem like a good fit for your business, you can go ahead and offer them the role.

2: Sign the Training Contract
Once you’ve made your decision, get in touch with an Apprentice Connect Australia provider. They’ll help organise the training contract and make sure everything’s signed and ready to go.

An apprenticeship or traineeship allows you to earn an income while combining on-the-job training with formal study. At the same time, you will be studying a Vocational Education and Training (VET) course through a TAFE or training provider. This means that on completion you’ll gain a nationally recognised qualification. Apprenticeships and traineeships both allow you to work and study while earning a wage and can be full-time or part-time. 

While everyone’s path into an apprenticeship or traineeship will be a bit different, there are generally four steps to follow.

1: Choose what you want to do 
Decide on the trade or job you want to learn considering your skills and interests. The Gordon Skills and Jobs Centre is available for free career advice.

2: Contact an Apprenticeship Connect Australia Provider
They can help you find a training provider, assist with the training contract, assess you for loans and other payments, and provide advice and support during your apprenticeship.

If you have an employer who is keen to hire you, you still need to organise your apprenticeship through an Apprenticeship Connect Australia Provider. Their help is free for you and the employer.

3: Sign an agreement
A training contract is a legally binding agreement between you, your employer and your training provider. If you’re under 18, it must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

The contract describes everyone’s rights and responsibilities as part of the apprenticeship or traineeship. Your Apprenticeship Connect Australia Provider can support you. You’ll also need a training plan. Different to the contract, it describes the mix of on-the-job and formal study.

4: Get started
It’s normal to feel nervous or worried about starting your apprenticeship or traineeship. You’ll receive support to learn skills both by your training provider and your employer. 

Not sure where to start, here are some great resources to get you off on the right foot.

Apprenticeships Victoria
General information about becoming an apprentice or trainee in Victoria
www.apprenticeships.vic.gov.au 

Your Career
Latest Victorian TAFE and training opportunities
P: 131 823
www.yourcareer.gov.au

The Gordon Skills and Jobs Centre
A free careers service for the Geelong community
P: 5225 0700
www.thegordon.edu.au/industry/skills-and-jobs-centre

Head Start
Supporting secondary students to complete an apprenticeship or traineeship while at school
M: 0499 528 772
E: amy.merriman@education.vic.gov.au
www.vic.gov.au/head-start-apprenticeships-and-traineeships 

Cultura
Mentoring people from different cultural backgrounds to find a new career.
P: 4210 0000
www.cultura.org.au

TAFE and Training Line
A service offered by the Victorian Government to provide help and information about TAFE and training courses, qualifications and training providers in Victoria
www.vic.gov.au/tafe-and-training-line

As an apprentice or trainee, you are expected to:

• Be open to learning new skills
• Be punctual
• Submit coursework by due dates
• Keep a work evidence log
• Work your contracted hours (unless sick or on pre-arranged holidays)
• Maintain confidentiality about your employer's information
• Complete and submit timesheets
• Wear your uniform and safety gear
• Follow workplace procedures
• Attend and complete any work reviews
• Report any injuries or medical conditions that might affect your ability to do the job or impact someone's safety

If you want to become an apprentice or trainee, Apprentice Connect Australia Providers are the first point of contact to get started. They connect apprentices and trainees with employers, and support you throughout your apprenticeship. ACAPs can provide specialised support to certain groups or industries including:

• Women in male-dominated trades
• First Nations people
• Disabled people
• Clean Energy 

To find an ACAP right for you visit Australian Apprenticeships. ACAPs that operate in the Barwon Region can be found here

www.apprenticeships.gov.au

There are many different Disability Employment Services Providers that can help people with a disability, injury and/or health condition. 

• Disability Management Service is for job seekers with disability, injury or health condition who need assistance to find a job and occasional support in the workplace to keep a job
• Employment Support Service is for job seekers with permanent disability who need help to find a job and who need regular, ongoing support in the workplace to keep a job

Find a provider that is perfect for you: www.jobaccess.gov.au/find-a-provider

Group Training Organisations (GTOs) employ apprentices and trainees, placing them with host employers for on-the-job training. The GTO handles all legal employment responsibilities and ensures the apprentices and trainees receive suitable work and training. GTOs in the Barwon region can be found here.

More information can be found here: www.apprenticeships.vic.gov.au/group-training-organisations

Registered training organisations (RTOs) deliver nationally recognised training in the VET sector and need to be approved by Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

To find out who the RTO’S are within your region visit:  www.training.gov.au/

Head Start is a program that supports students in years 10 - 12 to participate in a School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SBAT) program to develop skills, capabilities and confidence that employers in growth industries need.

SBAT students receive paid on-the-job training that contributes to their VCE, VCE Vocational Major or VPC and leads to a qualification.

Workforce Australia Local Jobs (Barwon)
Tracey Jeffery
Job Coordinator
TJeffery@barwonregionlocaljobs.org.au
0439 073 310  

Head Start
Amy Merriman
M: 0499 528 772
E: amy.merriman@education.vic.gov.au
www.vic.gov.au/head-start-apprenticeships-and-traineeships

APM Apprenticeships
APM - Barry Allen
P: 0429 440 287
E: Barry.Allen@apm.net.au  
www.apm.net.au/job-seekers/apprenticeships

Apprenticeships Support Australia 
Stacie Ponomarenko
P:0408 332 368
E: stacie.ponomarenko@asasupport.com.au
www.apprenticeshipsupport.com.au

MEGT Geelong  
Peter McVilly
P: 0408 220 09
E: petermcvilly@megt.com.au
www.megt.com.au

Busy at Work 
Janice Clark
P: 0417 842 027
E: janice@busyatworktac.com.au
www.busyatwork.com.au

gforce employment + recruitment
Donna Morgan
M: 0436 368 762
E: donnam@gforce.org.au 
www.gforce.org.au

MEGT
Peter McVilly
P: 0408 220 098
E: petermcvilly@megt.com.au 
www.megt.com.au/group-training

Westvic Staffing Solutions
Wayne Robertson
M: 0437 170 660
E: wrobertson@westvic.org.au
www.westvic.org.au

Victorian Group Training
Andrew McCarthy
M: 0407 682 653
E: andrew@vgtc.org.au
www.vgtc.org.au

Ai Group
Michael Chamoff
M: 0458 209 754
E: michael.chamoff@aigroup.com.au
www.aigroupapprentices.com.au

Apprenticeship Support Officers (ASOs) are there to support apprentices and their employers in getting the best out of the apprenticeship experience. They offer free and confidential advice and support. Whether it’s a workplace, training, or personal issue, ASOs can help apprentices navigate challenges that might come up during their time on the job.

Apprenticeship Support Officers
P: 1300 311 820
E: apprenticeship.support@djsir.vic.gov.au
www.thegordon.edu.au/student-portal/wellbeing-and-support/apprenticeship-support

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) deliver nationally recognised courses and qualifications across a range of industries. They might be government-run, like TAFEs, or operated by private businesses or industry bodies.

The Gordon
P: 5225 0600
E: courinfo@gordontafe.edu.au
www.thegordon.edu.au

Platinum Institute Australia
P: 1300 326 888
E: info@platinum.edu.au
www.platinum.edu.au

VFA Learning
P: 1300 304 329
E: geelongreception@vfalearning.vic.edu.au
www.vfalearning.vic.edu.au

PACT Calculator
An online calculator to help you work out the expected wage for your chosen industry
www.calculate.fairwork.gov.au

Apprentice Helpdesk enquiry form
https://www.apprenticeships.vic.gov.au/contact-apprentice-helpdesk