It can be quite intimidating when first considering recruiting an apprentice. With so much information available it can become confusing quite quickly, which is why we have assisted you by providing the following seven step process.

Step One: Contact Your local Australian ApprenticeshipSupport Network Provider

Once you and your chosen apprentice are ready to begin working it is time for your chosen Apprenticeships Network Provider to become involved. Once you call and confirm your intention of hiring an apprentice the Provider will organise to have a staff member visit you at your business to officially induct you and your employee into the apprenticeship and sign the Training Contract. If you are still unsure what qualification your apprentice should be signed up under, don’t worry. The Apprenticeship Network representative will be able to assist you in deciding what qualification is best suited to your employee, industry and business.

StepTwo: Select a training provider

Between you and your employee, a training provider will need to be selected. Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) may provide their training in various ways (online, visits to the worksite, classes scheduled at the RTO) so it is worthwhile to take the time to choose the RTO that best suits the needs of you and your apprentice. The Apprenticeship Network Representative will be able to assist you by providing a list of your local RTOs. Once the RTO is chosen, they will work with you and your apprentice in creating a training plan. The training plan outlines what competencies and skills your apprentice will learn and a broad timeline of when they should accomplish these goals.

Step Three: Registering your National Training Contract

Your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network Provider will register your National Training Contract with your State or Territory’s Training Authority. Once this has been accepted, the Training Authority will notify you of the registration of your contract through a letter sent to both you and your apprentice.

Step Four: Eligible Incentives To Be Claimed

Depending on the eligibility of you and your apprentice, you may be entitled to a variety of government incentives put in place to assist in the completion of the apprenticeship. Your Apprenticeship Network Provider will check your eligibility for these incentives and will send the appropriate electronic forms to you for completion/verification. When you electronically return these forms they will be processed and payments will be administered to you. This happens at different times during the apprenticeship dependant on what government incentives you are eligible for. Speak with your Apprenticeship Network representative at the signing of you Training Contract to find out what incentives you may be eligible for.

 Step Five: Regular Contact

At various times throughout the course of the apprenticeship, your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network Provider will contact you to see if the apprenticeship is progressing. If you have any questions throughout this time, you are also encouraged to contact your Apprenticeship Network Provider and they will endeavour to assist you in any way they can.

Step Six: Ready To Complete

Once you, your apprentice and your RTO are satisfied that all the requirements of the training plan have been fulfilled, then your apprentice is ready to complete their qualification. All three parties will sign the Completion Agreement (also known as the notice of issue of qualification). The RTO will then issue your apprentice with their qualification certificate and send the Completion Agreement to your State or Territory’s Training Authority.

Step Seven: Completed And trade Qualified

Once the apprenticeship is complete, the Training Authority in your State or Territory will issue a certificate of completion to your apprentice and advise you in writing that this has been issued. At this point your employee is no longer considered an apprentice and will now have a nationally recognised qualification.