Taking on an apprentice in Australia: the training contract, the six steps and New South Wales as the example
What business.gov.au and the New South Wales Government say about the employer side of an Australian Apprenticeship: the six steps, the training contract and the support listed for employers.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here.
Per business.gov.au, the training contract and plan are lodged with the state or territory training authority. This page uses the national business.gov.au guide and New South Wales as one worked example of a state, so it is not a statement about the other states. It does not cover wage rates, which the pages hand to the Fair Work Ombudsman. The same side of the story for other places is in taking on an apprentice in New Zealand and taking on an apprentice in England. Everything below is as the pages state on October 9, 2026.
What an apprenticeship is, as business.gov.au words it
The page describes apprenticeships and traineeships as paid on-the-job training that can lead to a nationally recognised qualification, and says the term Australian Apprentice covers both. An apprenticeship takes 1 to 4 years and a traineeship 1 to 2 years. Apprentices can be full-time, part-time or school based. The page says that, in general, a person of working age needs no secondary school certificate or other qualification, and that state and territory rules set the minimum working age. It says the employment conditions are the same as for other employees in the same occupation, with paid time off to attend training, structured training and a safe working environment as the extra conditions it lists.
The six steps on the national page
The step names in quotation marks below are shortened from the source's own step names.
- “Understand the obligations” The page says taking on an apprentice is a paid employment arrangement, and sends readers to the Fair Work Ombudsman for apprentice pay rates and entitlements and its pay and conditions tool.
- “Decide on the type of person” It lists the skills needed, what the job involves and whether the person is full-time or part-time.
- “Find an apprentice” It lists recruiting someone known to the business, advertising, employment agencies, a local Apprentice Connect Australia Provider and a group training organisation.
- “Sign and lodge a training contract and plan” Without a group training organisation, the employer and apprentice agree a qualification, complete a training contract, agree a registered training organisation to deliver the training and develop a training plan with it.
- “Register” The completed contract and plan go to the local Apprentice Connect Australia Provider, which lodges them with the state or territory training authority. A confirmation letter then goes to the employer and the apprentice.
- “Complete the probation period” The page says probation is generally 30 to 90 days, is usually built into the training contract and is separate from any workplace probation, and that the contract is binding on both sides once it is complete.
On group training, the page says a group training organisation employs the apprentice and places them with host employers, is responsible for wages, allowances and superannuation, and manages the contract steps that follow.
New South Wales as a worked example
The New South Wales Government's training contract page says an apprenticeship or traineeship is legal in the state only when the employer and apprentice sign a training contract and Training Services approves it. It says the contract is a legally binding agreement that sets out each party's responsibilities, the qualification, the registered training organisation, the employment arrangements and industrial award, and the length of the training period.
| Item | What the New South Wales page says |
|---|---|
| Deadline | The contract is submitted to Training Services within 28 days of the person starting as an apprentice or trainee; after that, reasons for the late application are needed |
| Who lodges it | An Apprentice Connect Australia Provider, which the page says provides a free service to help set up the contract and lodges it for the employer |
| Employer responsibilities in the contract | Giving the apprentice clear choices about training, providing facilities and experienced people to train and supervise, working with the training organisation to the training plan, paid time off for formal training and assessment, work relevant to the qualification, and appropriate wages and conditions |
| How it is assessed | Training Services looks at whether the employer can meet the contract requirements, whether the qualification suits the occupation, whether the supervisor has suitable qualifications, and whether the premises, equipment and methods suit the work |
| If refused | The page lists a new contract or a review request as the next steps, with an appeal after a review |
The funding and support page for New South Wales employers lists a payroll tax rebate on wages paid to approved apprentices and new entrant trainees, but not on wages paid to existing worker trainees. It lists a workers compensation premium reduction based on the wages paid to an apprentice, and national incentives and wage support run by the Australian Government. It also describes the Continuing Apprentices and Trainees Placement Service, a free service where registered employers can see candidates who are seeking employment. The page says the Apprentice Connect Australia Provider is the one to ask about incentives and programs.
Sources
- Australian Government, business.gov.au, Hire an apprentice or trainee, read October 9, 2026
- NSW Government, Training Contract and registration, read October 9, 2026
- NSW Government, Get funding or support for apprenticeships or traineeships, read October 9, 2026
- NSW Government, How to employ an apprentice or trainee, read October 9, 2026