Apprenticeships & Traineeships for Students - Earn while you learn

• You learn the skills on the job, study, and earn and income
• You can be employed full-time, part-time or while you are at school
• You graduate with a trade qualification or in the case of a traineeship with a qualification ranging from a Certificate III to a Diploma.

Talk to career advisers, family, and friends as well as people in the industry. If still at school, talk to your VET coordinator or career adviser.

Do some research

These websites will help you find information:

• Department of Training and Workforce Development(opens in a new tab)
• Jobactive(opens in a new tab)
• Myfuture (opens in a new tab)

Create a personal portfolio and resume

• Use the Resume Builder(opens in a new tab) tool

Find an employer

• Research companies you are interested in for possible vacancies
• Visit your nearest Jobs and Skills Centre(opens in a new tab) or call 13 64 64 to arrange an appointment
• Go online and search websites that list job vacancies, like Careerone(opens in a new tab) , Seek(opens in a new tab) , JobsWA(opens in a new tab) and Jobs & Skills WA(opens in a new tab)

There are three Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) providers in Western Australia contracted by the Australian Government to provide free Australian Apprenticeships support services to apprentices and employers.

These are tailored to the needs of employers and apprentices throughout the apprenticeship lifecycle from pre-commencement to completion.

• Apprenticeship Support Australia(opens in a new tab)
• The Apprenticeship Community(opens in a new tab)
• MEGT Apprenticeship Network Provider(opens in a new tab)

Sign the training contract

Once you have found the position, you or your employer should contact the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) to organise the signing of your training contract.

The Department of Training and Workplace Development's Apprenticeship Office registers and administer training contracts for apprentices in Western Australia.

Enrol at Central Regional TAFE

Through your employer, you enrol at Central Regional TAFE. We will develop a training plan with you.

If an office ‘isn’t you' and you would like to work with your hands then an apprenticeship or traineeship may be the right fit.

Central Regional TAFE offers pre-apprenticeship courses in industries to be considered in high demand now or will be in high demand in WA, maximising your employment outcomes. These courses take about six to nine months to complete.  

• The skills you gain may shorten the term of a subsequent apprenticeship
• You are more marketable to the employers.

If you're in Year 11 or 12, the PAiS program involves attending school, completing Certificate II pre-apprenticeship training at Central Regional TAFE, and completing work placements with an employer.

Graduate Year 12 with your WACE, a pre-apprenticeship in your chosen field and be a step ahead of others looking for apprenticeships.

There is no doubt employers look favourably at the candidate who already has a proven track record of study, demonstrated the capacity to apply themselves to a formal TAFE course and can understand the practices and terminology associated with the trade in question.

SBA or SBT are paid employment-based training programs for full time school students generally 15 years of age and over. As a SBA or SBT you will be a full-time student and a part-time employee with the same employment and training conditions and responsibilities as other apprentices and trainees.

Training is delivered by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). This training can done as either a few hours every week or in weekly blocks depending on the qualification and scheduling arrangements.

As a SBA or SBT you will be paid by your employer for the hours you work. Working hours may take place during school hours or outside school hours based on your employer’s needs. The minimum number of hours of paid employment may be based on a set weekly schedule or averaged over a set period of time.

Depending on the qualification, your School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship may be completed by the time you finish year 11 or 12. Other qualifications may continue past your graduation.

Before you can commence you will need to negotiate your attendance at work and training with your school to ensure the SBA or SBT meets school timetabling requirements. Please contact your school VET Coordinator to determine this.
 

Relevant SBA/SBT factsheets

• Australian Apprentices SBA information(opens in a new tab)
• WA SBA Information(opens in a new tab)
• Minimum hours fact sheet(opens in a new tab)

An apprenticeship generally takes three to four years on-the-job training in traditional trade areas like mechanical fitter, plumbing, cooking, electronics and communications, or barbering.

A traineeship generally takes two years on-the-job training on vocational areas like tourism, travel, laboratory techniques, or accounting.  

When qualified you can look forward to:

• Higher pay rates
• Great job prospects
• Advancing your career.

Training contract obligations for the apprentice/trainee

I agree that I will:

• Attend work, do my job, and follow my employer's instructions, as long as they are lawful.
• Work towards achieving the qualification stated in our training contract.
• Undertake any training and assessment in our training plan.

Training contract obligations for the parent or guardian

I agree that I will:

• Uphold the responsibilities listed above for the apprentice/trainee until they are 18 years of age.

Training contract obligations for the employer

I agree that I will:

• Employ and train the apprentice/trainee as agreed in our training plan and ensure the apprentice/trainee understands the choices that he/she has regarding the training.
• Provide the appropriate facilities and experienced people to facilitate the training and supervise the apprentice/trainee while at work, in accordance with the training plan.
• Make sure the apprentice/trainee receives on the job training and assessment in accordance with our training plan.
• Provide work that is relevant and appropriate to the vocation and also to the achievement of the qualification referred to in this contract.
• Release the apprentice/trainee from work to attend any training and assessment specified in our training plan.
• Pay the apprentice/trainee the appropriate wages to attend any training and assessment specified in the training plan, noting that any time spent by the apprentice/trainee in performing his or her obligations under the contract whether at the employer’s workplace or not, is to be taken for all purposes (including the payment of remuneration) to be time spent working for the employer.
• Meet all legal requirements regarding the apprentice/trainee, including but not limited to, occupational health and safety requirements, and payment of wages and conditions under the relevant employment arrangements.
• Repay any payment I receive that I am not entitled to.
• Work with our registered training organisation (RTO) and the apprentice/trainee to make sure we follow our training plan, keep training records up to date, and monitor and support the apprentice/trainee's progress.
• Let the relevant State/Territory Training Authority and the RTO know within five working days (or when the local State/Territory legislation requires, if this is different) if our training contract has become jeopardised.

If any party fails to meet their contact obligations they are putting the contract at risk and the contract may be terminated.

As an apprentice or trainee, if you feel that your employer is not meeting their obligations, you can contact your AASN or the Apprenticeship Management Team (AMT) at Central Regional TAFE.

What is an AASN?

Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) Apprenticeship Network providers are funded by the Australian Government to provide advice and support services to employers and apprentices throughout the apprenticeship lifecycle from pre-commencement to completion through:

• Administrative support, payment processing and regular contact.
• Services for employers and individuals assessed as needing additional support to complete the apprenticeship.
• In-training support services, such as mentoring, will help apprentices and employers at-risk of not completing the apprenticeship arrangement to work through issues and difficulties.
• In addition, provide assistance to individuals who may be unsuited to an apprenticeship to identify alternative training pathways.

Once Central Regional TAFE receives notification of your contact, we will make contact with you and your employer to sign a training plan.  

At the same time as this is happening you details will be sent to our scheduling department. The training plan is used to monitor progress and record achieved competencies during the course of a training contract and must be negotiated and agreed to by the employer, the apprentice, and the registered training organisation.

When we email you to confirm we have received your contract, we will also ask if you have any credits. If you have successfully completed a superseded unit that has been deemed equivalent and you can demonstrate currency, Central Regional TAFE will recognise the unit and credit it to your current studies. You must grant viewing permission to your academic records for CRTAFE by logging into the USI Portal(opens in a new tab) .

If you don’t advise us of credits, you may be scheduled for units that you have already completed.

Throughout your life you will have gained skills and knowledge obtained through formal training (such as TAFE or university), non-formal training (via a professional development program conducted by your work) or informal learning (on-the-job experience).

Skills recognition is a formal process where we assess your knowledge and skills to determine if we can grant advanced standing for any of the units of competency you are enrolling into. Visit the recognition of prior learning and experience page for more details.

Depending on when you contract commences and availability of the classes you need, you may start TAFE studies fairly close to your commencement or you may be waitlisted until another group becomes available. Either way you will receive communication from the scheduling department indicating the proposed dates.

The Vocational Education and Training Act 1996 (the VET Act) legislates that employers must release their apprentices for scheduled training. Failure to do so without approval requires us to inform the Apprenticeship Office, which may result in penalties being applied under the VET Act.

Once you are booked into training your employer is obliged to release you; directing you back to work disadvantages you by delaying your training program. Whilst you should comply with the instructions from your employer, if you believe that your training is being delayed you can contact the Apprenticeship Management Team to discuss your concerns. This contact will remain confidential.

Please be aware that if you attend training without the appropriate equipment you may be returned to the workplace.

Early completion

When you have successfully completed 100% of the TAFE Training, Central Regional TAFE will contact your employer to advise that off-the-job study is completed. They have the option at this time of signing you off as complete which will bring forward the completion date.  

Should the employer feel the apprentice still requires time to develop their skills on the job, they can continue until the scheduled completion date.

You will not be eligible for your certificate until the training contract is completed.

Completion

Approximately six (6) weeks prior to the completion date of the apprenticeship, the AMT will confirm that all TAFE requirements have been met, and then issue a Training Contract Completion Agreement (TCCA) via email to the employer. This is to be signed by the employer and apprentice and returned to the AMT.

Training contract extension

A training contract may be extended if both the apprentice or trainee and the employer agree that the training required will not be completed within the nominal term.  

Your employer must submit a Notice to extend a training contract to the Apprenticeship Office before the expiry date of the training contract.

On the day that all parties have agreed will be the completion date, your completion will be officially lodged. This will start the process for the Apprenticeship Office to issue your trade certificate, this should be received within five (5) days of completion.

If your employment is terminated your employer should officially cancel your contact. Details of the process for Contract Termination vary depending on whether you as the apprentice agree to the termination.  

Fact Sheets area available at the Apprenticeship Office(opens in a new tab) .

If your contract is suspended or terminated you are able to continue your TAFE study for six (6) months whilst you seek alternative employment.  

At any time if you employer is unable to continue your contract it can be transferred to another employer(opens in a new tab) .

For detailed information about White Cards and construction inductions, see our White Card course page.

Specific dress requirements apply to all trades and are outlined in the accordions below, along with any equipment and text book requirements.

Standard requirements in workshops are:

• Safety Work Boots MUST be worn at all times.
  • Heavy leather uppers and heavy duty soles.
  • No sand shoe volley type of footwear allowed (even with steel caps).
• Protective eye wear to Australian Standards Safety Glasses – must be clear inside.
• Hearing protection is required. This is a minimum requirement, as per safe operating procedures, for using power tools. For hygiene reasons apprentice must provide their own.

Requirements for other areas such as electrical, salons, kitchens and other simulated work environments are listed in the relevant accordion below.
 

General notes

• Students must be work ready at all times as there is no specific scheduled time for the theory or practical components of the training you will be given.
• Any students not adhering to the dress requirements will be unable to attend training and will be returned to the workplace
• No offensive logos on clothing.
• No tracksuit type pants or hoodies are to be worn
• Students may be provided with notes and handouts. Additional notes will not be issued to students who have lost their copies.
• The use of mobile phones whilst in class is not permitted.

Employers are not obliged to pay for apprentice fees and charges in advance. However some Industrial Agreements (Awards) require employers to reimburse their apprentice upon receipt of satisfactory progress. 

It is at the employer’s discretion whether they elect to pay apprentices fees up front, or reimburse the apprentice, if required in their relevant Industrial Agreement. Please refer to your Industrial Agreement (Award) which can be found at either:

State based awards

Federal (Modern) awards

If an employer elects to pay the fees for their apprentice and trainee, they will be billed directly by Central Regional TAFE.  It is important to note that the student remains legally liable for the debt at all times and should an employer fail to make payment, these fees will become the debt of the student.  

All apprentices and trainees will enrol on a semester basis. Enrolment will occur following the completion of the Training Plan and thereafter at the beginning of Semester 1 (February) and the beginning of Semester 2 (July) each year until TAFE training has been completed.

Fees will be invoiced and paid at the beginning of each semester. Apprentices and trainees who pay their own fees can opt to pay by instalment over 20 weeks of the semester.

Apprentice incentives and allowances

As an Australian Apprentice, you may be eligible for financial support from the Australian and State Governments.

Federal Incentives

Include incentive programs such as:

• Australian Apprentice Training Support Payment
• New Energy Apprenticeships Program
• Living Away From Home Allowance
• Assistance for Australian Apprentices with disability
• Support for Women in trades
• Trade Support Loans

Full details and eligibility requirements can be found at Support for Australian Apprentices | Australian Apprenticeships(opens in a new tab) .

State Incentives/Allowances

The Construction Training fund manages a number of incentive programs such as:

• Apprentice Completion Grant
• Apprentice Tool Allowance
• Disaster Recovery Grant
• Accommodation allowance
• Upskilling and Short Course Funding

Full details and eligibility requirements can be found on the Construction Training Fund (opens in a new tab) webpage.

Travel and Accomodation Allowance

The Department of Training assists apprentices with travel and accommodation related to the completion of their off-the-job training component via a Travel and Accommodation allowance.

Financial assistance is available to support off the job training being delivered to apprentices who are, or would normally be, required to travel long distances to attend off the job training.

To claim assistance the minimum round trip distance an apprentice must travel from their residential address to the closest training venue of all training providers able to deliver the off the job training is:

• 71 kilometres or more for travel allowance;
• 150 kilometres or more for accommodation allowance; and
• 1100 kilometres or more for airfare travel.  (Air travel must be booked by the RTO to be eligible)

Please note Distances are measured by Microsoft Virtual Earth (Bing Maps).

Mentoring Services

As an apprentice or trainee, you have access to free and confidential mentoring services through your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN).

What’s a Mentor? 

A mentor is like a friendly guide who listens to your concerns and helps you navigate through them. Whether you’re dealing with challenges at home that affect your work and studies or facing issues with your employer or workplace, mentors are there to lend a helping hand.

How Can They Assist You? 

Mentors can chat with you about anything that impacts your work, training, or personal life. Here are some areas they can help with:

Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) will often have staff available on campus in the Jobs and Skills Centres.

• MEGT Australia(opens in a new tab)
• Apprenticeship Support Australia(opens in a new tab)
• The Apprenticeship Community(opens in a new tab)