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Hire an Apprentice

Hiring an apprentice can be a highly rewarding experience. Here's the information you need to get started.

Hiring an apprentice can be a highly rewarding experience for you, your business, your staff and, of course, the apprentice. But, if you haven’t hired an apprentice before, the process can seem daunting. It doesn’t have to be. TLA have all the information and contacts you need to get an apprenticeship off the ground, from finding an apprentice through to supporting the apprenticeship process to completion.

 

What is the definition of an apprentice?

An apprentice is anyone who combines work and study to obtain a trade qualification in their industry. Apprenticeships usually take between 1 and 4 years to complete (4 years for landscaping apprentices) and are open to anyone who is old enough to work. There is no requirement for apprentices to have completed a secondary school certificate or any other qualification. Apprentices must have a formal training contract with the relevant state or territory apprenticeship authority and regularly undertake training through a Registered Training Organisation.

In NSW the relevant training authority is:
Training Services NSW – NSW Department of Industry
Ph: 13 28 11

In the ACT the relevant training authority is:
Skills Canberra – ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate
Ph: 02 6205 8555

You can hire an apprentice full time, part time or while they are still at school.

 

What does it cost to hire an apprentice?

Apprentices are often paid at special reduced rates while they are completing their qualification but their hours for pay include the hours spent at your business as well as the time spent in formal training/trade school.

The pay rate for apprentices is determined by the degree to which they have completed their qualification, increasing slowly as they become more valuable to your business. To see the rates of pay for apprentices, you should consult the relevant award for your business.

View the awards:

For all other awards visit the Australian Fair Work Ombudsman website.

The NSW Government also offers incentives to many businesses who take on an apprentice. This is especially true for businesses in areas of skills shortage, such as the Landscaping Industry. These incentives are subject to a number of eligibility criteria, waiting periods and time limits so the best way to find out if your business qualifies is to contact The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network. For contact details see ‘Further Information’ below.

 

Apprenticeship entitlements and working conditions

All employees, including apprentices, receive the same legal protections and workplace entitlements under the National Employment Standards (NES). These Standards address: maximum weekly hours, requests for flexible working arrangements, parental leave, annual leave, personal/carer’s leave and compassionate leave, community service leave, long service leave, public holidays, as well as notice of termination and redundancy pay. To learn more about the NES visit this link:

Read the National Employment Standards

To read more specifically about Apprentice Entitlements go to:

Apprentice Entitlements

 

Further Information

The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network is an Australian Government initiative designed to assist both apprentices and employers with the apprenticeship process. They are able to assist with recruitment, training and retraining of apprentices. They can assist employers with:

  • Finding an apprentice or registered training organisation
  • Providing a training contract for you and your apprentice to sign
  • Assessing your eligibility for incentives
  • Helping you to work out the timing and locations of off-the-job training
  • Providing advice and support throughout the apprenticeship.

 

To find your local Apprenticeship Network or to access these services visit their website.

The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network is free of charge.

 

The Australian Government Fair Work Ombudsman has also produced a handy, 8-page Guide to Taking on an Apprentice. This document outlines the steps you need to take to get your apprenticeship underway.

Guide to Taking on an Apprentice

 

You can also visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website at this link.

There are companies that specialise in matching trade companies with apprentices. For further details, please Contact us.

Terms and Condition

These Terms and Conditions must be read in conjunction with TLA’s Privacy and Copyright Policy Statements.

Descriptions of contracts contained on this website are a guide only and do not outline a specific fitness for purpose. The Landscape Association gives no representation or warranty about suitability of a particular contract for a specific function.

The Landscape Association does not accept responsibility for loss or damage suffered by any person or body relying directly or indirectly on any information contained within the pro forma contracts or the LNA Master Landscapers Rates Guide Schedule of Rates for Landscape Works. All contracts and Guides are purchased at the risk of those making the purchase.

TLA does not have access to the customer’s credit card number which is encrypted for security purposes. The credit card will be debited at the time of processing the payment. A tax invoice/receipt will be automatically generated and emailed to the customer.

Orders are ordinarily dispatched by Australia Post, Express Post, within seven working days. Five days should be allowed for delivery. This timeframe is indicative only. Every reasonable effort will be made to notify the customer if a delay is expected.

Provided an order has not been dispatched, it may be cancelled in full or part by calling The Landscape Association on (02) 9630 4844. Returns are not accepted by The Landscape Association unless the customer has received an unordered or faulty item, or unless otherwise required under Australian legislation.

The Landscape Association reserves the right to change these terms and conditions at any time.

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