Where to find apprentices or trainees

Apprentices can be a vital part of your business and offer many benefits. However, sometimes it can be tricky to find them, especially with the skills shortages in some industries and regions of the country.

Knowing where to go to where to find apprentices or trainees and what steps you need to take to get them started with your organisation is vital to not wasting valuable time looking at the wrong options.

Find out how to speed up your apprentice search by reading on.

Identify your needs

Think about what your team needs now and into the future.

Thinking ahead for what your team may look like 5 years from now may seem unnecessary but when you consider that apprenticeships generally take 4 years and traineeships can take up to 3 years to complete.

It makes sense to plan ahead.

Your team now may not need another full-time employee, but you need to consider it as an investment in your business’s future.

It is also worth noting that you can employ a part-time apprentice or trainee or even a school-based one if that fits your business situation better.

You should also look at your team dynamic. If you need to prioritise someone who is the right fit for the team, an apprentice or trainee might be the best way forward so you can gain value out of their attitude whilst building their on the job skills.

Understand your obligations and incentives

There are incentives that your business may be eligible for to subside the wages of your apprentice or trainee. Particularly if the industry you work in is experiencing a national skills shortage.

There are also additional subsidies should you employ an adult apprentice or mature age worker or an apprentice with disability.

There may also be location-specific grants, incentives or tax concessions for those in rural or regional areas but this will depend on your state or territory.

It is important however to understand what you are legally obligated to provide in the apprentice employer relationship.

While you may employ school-based or part-time apprentices’ trainees’, they cannot be employed on a casual basis.

They also require time to attend TAFE or a technical college or time at the business where a trainer visits them to work through the theoretical aspect of their qualification.

They must be paid for this time and it is a central part of the agreement.

How to hire an apprentice or trainee

Once you have figured out what type of apprentice or trainee arrangement will work for your business it’s time to find one!

A good place to start is to the Australian Apprenticeships website they can match you up to a provider who can guide you along the process.

You can also reach out to your local MAX site who can help find the right apprentice for your business

Alternatively, if you have the time and desire you can advertise yourself by using the Australian Job search service or reach out to local schools if you are looking for a school-based apprentice.

If you organise this yourself, you will also need to speak to a local Registered Training Organisation that can deliver the theory-based training component of the qualification.

Once this step has been completed and a training plan has been developed you will need to register your apprentice or trainee with the Australian Apprenticeships support network.

After the probationary period has ended (90 days for an apprentice or 30 days for a trainee) for the length of the contract you and your new employee will work together until the qualification is complete.

If you need help finding the right trainee or apprentice for your business or have more questions about the process of where to find apprentices or trainees, get in touch with our team.