How to Hire an Apprentice in Victoria

23/05/2022

Thinking of hiring an apprentice? An apprentice gives you affordable skills and labour while you grow your business. 

While the process may seem complicated, Builders Academy Australia are here to help. Let’s start you off by showing you how to hire an apprentice in Victoria.  

How do I employ an apprentice?

Step 1: Decide what type of person you want

  • Choose an apprentice to suit your business needs and goals.
  • For example, if you’re a domestic builder, you might want to get an apprentice who’s doing their CPC30220 Certificate III in Carpentry or a related trade. There is a building and construction apprenticeship out there to suit every business.
  • You’ll also want to hire an apprentice who can help your business grow at the right pace. Think about whether you want someone on full time or part time, an adult apprentice or a younger employee.

Step 2: Find an apprentice

  • One of the easiest ways to find an apprentice is to contact a registered training organisation (RTO) like Builders Academy Australia.
  • We have multiple trade centres across metropolitan Melbourne, so you can find an apprentice close to you.
  • Employing an apprentice in Victoria can also happen through a Group Training Organisation (GTO). These companies hire apprentices and take care of wages, benefits and all the admin stuff. Feel free to get in touch with us and we’ll hook you up with our GTO partners.
apprenticeship building and construction

Step 3: Sign and lodge a training contract

  • In this step, you work with your apprentice to come up with a plan and put it in writing
  • You work with your apprentice to choose the type of qualification they will do. This should reflect both your needs and your apprentice’s goals
  • You’ll also agree on the RTO who will train them up. Ideally at an RTO near your place of work and your apprentice’s home. Builders Academy Australia has many locations, but we also offer building courses online for more flexibility.
  • (Remember: If you get your apprentice through a GTO, you can skip Step 3.)

Step 4: Register the apprenticeship

  • Once you have signed your training contract, you’ll work with your apprentice and their RTO to come up with a plan.
  • You’ll then submit your contract and plan to your nearest Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider. They will lodge the paperwork with the Victorian Regulations and Qualifications Authority.
  • You’ll get a confirmation letter when the registration is complete.

Step 5: Apply for incentives

  • Both state and federal governments provide support for employers, helping new employees do a building and construction apprenticeship.
  • Take advantage of this support by browsing the different employer incentives available.

Step 6: Do a probation period

  • All apprenticeships have a probation period of 90 days. This is a great opportunity to get to know your apprentice and see whether your arrangement is working as you’d both hoped.
  • After the probation period, you and your apprentice will work together until the contract wraps up.
apprenticeship building and construction

What is the responsibility of an employer in training?

As an employer, you help your apprentice get work experience while they learn. You help them apply their learnings to the job they do for you.

You’ll give your apprentice opportunities to learn skills and gain new knowledge in their trade. You’ll give them structured training and a safe working environment.

How much should an apprentice get paid?

You’ll pay your apprentice less than your other workers because they are less experienced. But you should still treat your apprentice like a normal worker in every other way.

You’ll have to pay your apprentice minimum rates, allowances and penalty rates. To find out exactly how much you’ll need to pay them, go to the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool.

Are apprentices paid while training?

Yes. You’ll pay for the time that your apprentice spends in training with their RTO. 

building and construction

Apprentice entitlements?

Your obligations include paying your apprentices overtime, holiday and sick pay, and superannuation.

Are apprentices worth it?

Hiring an apprentice can be an affordable way to gain new skills and labour, helping your business grow over time. But you have to be in a good position to hire an apprentice.

You’ll need time to support your apprentice in their training and take care of administrative tasks. You’ll also need the right resources, like qualified employees, to help your apprentice through their qualification.

How to hire an apprentice in Victoria

Now that you know how to hire an apprentice, you can see that it isn’t all that daunting after all. Get in touch with an RTO like Builders Academy Australia and have the support you need to invest in your business’s future. Need help hiring an apprentice? Call us at 1300 LEGEND (1300 534 363) or request a callback today.

 

This article has been revised and republished on 23 May 2022.