Wages and conditions
For specific information on wages and employment conditions for your apprenticeship or traineeship, phone Wageline on 1300 369 945 or visit the Wageline website.
Wages and conditions for apprenticeships and traineeships vary. However, the following information can be used as a guide:
As a minimum, you must be paid a training wage as outlined in the award or agreement for your occupation or industry. The wage you are paid will depend on your apprenticeship or traineeship and the progress you make.
For most apprenticeships and traineeships, the wage is calculated as a percentage of the wage paid to qualified workers, and depends on the year or level you have reached in your apprenticeship or traineeship. When you have achieved the competencies required for your current level (or after the end of a period of time), you can progress to the next wage level of your apprenticeship or traineeship.
If you have already completed some of your apprenticeship or traineeship with another employer (or completed a relevant prevocational course), you must be paid at the correct rate for the competencies you have achieved.
You must be paid for the time you spend undertaking training arranged by your training provider (this does not apply to school-based apprentices and trainees).
In some industries, minimum wages apply for adult apprentices and trainees. The age when an apprentice or trainee is considered to be an adult may differ from industry to industry.
Information for school-based apprentices and trainees
Information for apprentices and trainees employed by group training organisations
Information for existing workers employed as apprentices and trainees
Tools
More information - fact sheets, brochures and useful websites
Information for apprentices and trainees employed by group training organisations
Information for apprentices and trainees employed by group training organisations
If you are employed by a group training organisation, that organisation will usually pay your wages and provide your entitlements.
Information for existing workers employed as apprentices and trainees
In many industries, employers are prohibited from reducing the wages of existing workers when they become an apprentice or trainee. To find out if this applies to your industry, telephone Wageline on 1300 369 945.
Tools
For some apprenticeships, the employer must provide tools to the apprentice. For information on which apprenticeships require the employer to supply tools, phone 1300 369 945 or visit the Wageline apprenticeship and traineeship website.
The industrial order outlining the Supply of tools to apprentices [PDF 24kb] is also available from the Wageline website.
The Tools For Your Trade Initiative, funded by the Australian Government, provides up to $800 for the purchase of trade tools for eligible school-based apprentices.
For more information regarding Tools For Your Trade telephone 1800 557 875 or visit the Tools For Your Trade website.
More information - fact sheets, brochures and useful websites:
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Youth rights & stuff @ work [PDF 429kb]. If you're under 25 and you're starting work or about to, here's some info that might come in handy.
- Visit the Wageline website for wages info and employment conditions.
Call Wageline on 1300 369 945 for information about your wages and employment conditions including leave, tool entitlements and superannuation. - Fact sheet: Paying apprentices and trainees for time spent undertaking supervised training
Apprentices and trainees (not school-based) must be paid for the time they spend undertaking supervised training. - Fair treatment
As an apprentice or trainee, you should be treated the same as any other employee. Learn more about fair treatment in the workplace. - Employers Guide to Workplace Bullying or A Workers Guide to Workplace Bullying
- Safety at work for apprentices and trainees
Call Workplace Health and Safety on 1300 369 915 to access information about the safety responsibilities of employers and apprentices and trainees. - Workers' compensation
Call WorkCover Queensland on 1300 362 128 for information about workers' compensation. - Fact sheet: Responsibilities of the apprentice and employer
Learn more about the responsibilities of the apprentice or trainee and the employer during the apprenticeship or traineeship.
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