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Become an Apprentice
Apprenticeships deliver professional, financial, and personal rewards including being a stepping stone to becoming your own boss. So if you’re a school student, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a career change start your qualification today.Apprentice / Trainee Reference Guide
Sarina Russo Apprenticeships will:
- Offer the best advice on over 600 qualifications
- Organise training contracts and workplace inductions
- Contact Registered Training Organisations (RTO)
- Register you with the State Training Authority (STA) who will send you a confirmation letter of your registration
- Ensure you are enrolled with your chosen RTO and help organise any Student Enrolment Fees
- 6 – 7 months Sarina Russo will check on your progression and organise the signing of a claim form to confirm you and your employer are undertaking the relevant training and accessing all available incentives
- At the 12th and 24th month milestone, Sarina Russo will contact you to ensure everything is on track
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Your agreement
You will enter into a formal agreement (Training Contract) as part of your apprenticeship or traineeship. The contract will address:
- Commitment to work responsibilities
- Commitment to training responsibilities
Commitment to work responsibilities
To comply with your commitment to work responsibilities, you must:
- Attend and perform work in a professional and courteous manner in accordance with the employer’s requirements
- Take care of workplace property and resources
- Respect the rights of other apprentices and employees in the workplace
- Respect confidentiality – information obtained from the employer is confidential and must not be disclosed without approval from the employer
- Obtain consent from a parent or guardian if you are less than 18 years of age
Commitment to fulfil training responsibilities
To fulfil your training responsibilities, you must:
- Make all reasonable efforts to achieve the competencies specified in the training plan and undertake any training and assessment required
- Participate in the development of the training plan
- Attend training sessions or supervised workplace activities and take advantage of learning opportunities
- Maintain a record of training, i.e. a training record book
Administer and pay financial incentives
To ease your financial difficulties in the early years of your apprenticeship, the Australian Government provides financial support through the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program.
Employer obligations
Under your training contract and plan, your employer must:
- Train you for the job
- Adequately supervise you in the workplace
- Allow you to participate in required training
- Pay for the time you spend training at your training provider (excluding school-based apprenticeships)
Wages and conditions
To enquire about apprenticeship or traineeship wages and entitlements, Sarina Russo recommends you contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94.
Wages for apprentices and trainees
Your wage is generally calculated as a percentage of the tradesperson or adult wage, depending on your year or level of the apprenticeship or traineeship. Progression through wage levels is determined by the attainment of competencies, the expiry of a period of time (e.g. 1 year), or a combination of both.
If you have already completed part of your apprenticeship or traineeship with another employer (or completed a relevant pre-vocational course), you may be entitled to credit for the competencies and the time you have been employed as an apprentice or a trainee. 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 also differ from industry to industry.
Wages for school-based apprentices and trainees
You’re entitled to your own specific wage arrangements, depending on the relevant award or agreement.
Being paid for attending off-the-job trainingApprentices and trainees must be released from work without loss of pay to attend off-the-job training. In many cases, you are entitled to wages for all time spent on off-the-job training, regardless of when or where it is done (in some cases even at home).EntitlementsThe entitlements for apprentices and trainees are provided by the relevant award or agreement. Entitlements include hours of work, overtime, penalty rates, allowances (e.g. tool allowance), leave and termination of employment.In some cases, school-based apprentices or trainees are not entitled to paid leave, but receive a loading in their pay to compensate. In other cases, they are entitled to a pro rata of the nominal leave entitlements.Temporary employer unavailabilityPlease contact us on 1300 178 776 to discuss options.
Industrial actionApprentices and trainees are treated as employees under the Commonwealth Fair Work Act 2009. You are free to choose whether or not to become a member of a union and are also free to choose whether or not to participate in lawful industrial action.Get the support you needTalk to your Sarina Russo representative straight away if you need any advice on any workplace matters.
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CONSTRUCTION MENTORING
Industry Specialist Mentoring for Australian Apprentices
Improving the productivity, retention and completion rates of 1st and 2nd year construction apprentices is the aim of the Industry Specialist Mentoring for Australian Apprentices program.
Highly skilled Construction Mentors are funded to act as role models to assist civil, residential and commercial construction apprentices develop the trade, technical and personal skills they need to succeed.
Construction Mentors will build rapport with apprentices and employers, share their on-the-job and off-the-job training knowledge, offer advice on available financial and government support and help apprentices plan a construction career once they’re off the tools.
Apprentices and trainees in the first two years of their training in the civil, residential and commercial construction industry will be eligible.
If you have any feedback, requests for information or would like to have us help you with your recruitment, staff support, apprenticeship or staff training needs, please get in touch.Sarina Russo Group feedback and suggestion information sheet ‘Industry Specialist Mentoring for Australian Apprentices (ISMAA) is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training’
Benefits for Apprentices
- Build the foundation for a construction career;
- Receive one-on-one mentoring from a real tradie;
- Get technical skills support, tips for on-the-job learning, career and personal advice; and
- Complete your apprenticeship.
- Boost apprentice productivity;
- Increase retention and completion rates;
- Build a skilled workforce;
- Mentoring conducted on-site; and
- Absolutely no cost.
AVAILABLE INCENTIVES
Maximise your eligibility for all government incentives and allowances.
Trade Support Loan (TSL)
Is a re-payable loan, paid to Australian Apprentices who are working in a trade identified on the Trade Support Loan Priority List.Up to $20,808 over 4 years duration or duration of the Apprenticeship.
Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY
Fortnightly payments delivered by Centrelink:
Youth Allowance for Australian Apprentices aged 16-24
Austudy for Australian Apprentices aged 25 and over
ABSTUDY for Australian Apprentices of any age who are Indigenous Australians
Living Away from Home Allowance
Assists eligible individuals remain or commence in an Australian Apprentice if they have moved away from their parental or legal guardian’s home for the first time.
- 1st year $77.17 per week
- 2nd year $38.59 per week
- 3rd year $25 per week
Support for Australian Apprentices with Disability
Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support (DAAWS) is an incentive payable to an eligible employer. It is also available to an employer whose apprentice becomes disabled during their apprenticeship or traineeship. Pro rata per employment status. Up to $104.30 per week.
Employment Assistance Fund
Up to $5,000 to help people with disability or mental health condition purchase a range of work related modifications and services if they are starting a job, currently working, or require help to find and prepare for work.The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network Code of Conduct |National Code of Good Practice for Australian Apprenticeships
Eligibility criteria apply to all incentives and allowances. Australian and State Government incentives and allowances can be varied at any time without notice. All incentives have a 12 month claimable period from the date the incentive payment is made available.
AVAILABLE INCENTIVES
Maximise your eligibility for all government incentives and allowances.
Trade Support Loan (TSL)
Is a re-payable loan, paid to Australian Apprentices who are working in a trade identified on the Trade Support Loan Priority List.Up to $20,000 over 4 years duration or duration of the Apprenticeship.
Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY
Fortnightly payments delivered by Centrelink:
Youth Allowance for Australian Apprentices aged 16-24
Austudy for Australian Apprentices aged 25 and over
ABSTUDY for Australian Apprentices of any age who are Indigenous Australians
Living Away from Home Allowance
Assists eligible individuals remain or commence in an Australian Apprentice if they have moved away from their parental or legal guardian’s home for the first time.
- 1st year $77.17 per week
- 2nd year $38.59 per week
- 3rd year $25 per week
Support for Australian Apprentices with Disability
Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support (DAAWS) is an incentive payable to an eligible employer. It is also available to an employer whose apprentice becomes disabled during their apprenticeship or traineeship. Pro rata per employment status. Up to $104.30 per week.
Employment Assistance Fund
Up to $5,000 to help people with disability or mental health condition purchase a range of work related modifications and services if they are starting a job, currently working, or require help to find and prepare for work.The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network Code of Conduct National Code of Good Practice for Australian Apprenticeships Eligibility criteria apply to all incentives and allowances. Australian and State Government incentives and allowances can be varied at any time without notice. All incentives have a 12 month claimable period from the date the incentive payment is made available.
