What is an Apprenticeship & Traineeship?
Apprenticeships and traineeships are jobs that combine work and structured training. Although they vary from one industry to another, apprenticeships and traineeships include:
- paid employment under an appropriate industrial arrangement (for example, an award or enterprise agreement).
- a Training Contract that is signed by both the employer and apprentice or trainee and registered with the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET). The only exception to this rule are trainee apprentices.
- a qualification, delivered by a Registered Training Organisation, that meets the requirements of a declared apprenticeship or traineeship in NSW and leads to a nationally recognised qualification.
How have apprenticeships and traineeships changed?
During the past few years, a number of significant improvements have been made to the apprenticeship and traineeship system in NSW to make training more flexible. For example, some traineeships in NSW can now be:
- delivered completely in the workplace
- customised to meet the needs of employers
- delivered part-time
- offered to existing workers (workers currently in the workforce)
- offered to school students
- established in new industries and at higher qualification levels
- easily linked to further vocational education and training and university studies.
What areas are apprenticeships and traineeships available in?
There are more than 100 apprenticeship vocations available in NSW. Apprenticeships generally last four years and cover traditional trade areas such as building and construction, hairdressing, cooking, the automotive industry, engineering and manufacturing.
There are over 600 traineeship vocations introduced to provide employment and training opportunities in a range of areas, including multimedia, information technology, sport and recreation, hospitality, retail and primary industries.
All apprenticeships and traineeships (designated by the Commissioner for Vocational Training under the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001) are recognised trade vocations and recognised traineeship vocations respectively under the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001.
What types of apprenticeships and traineeships are available?
There are a number of training options:
- both apprenticeships and traineeships are offered full-time
- existing workers (workers currently employed in the workforce) can now access traineeships
- part-time traineeships are becoming increasingly available in a number of industries
- school based part-time traineeships are a recent introduction and allow school students to undertake a traineeship in conjunction with their HSC studies
- trainee apprentices are generally only available in industries such as building and construction and furnishing that require more flexible working arrangements
- group training companies employ apprentices and trainees and place them with host employers. This provides businesses which may not be able to employ an apprentice or trainee for the full term of the training an opportunity to host apprentices or trainees for varying periods.
How can the NSW Department of Education and Training help?
The apprenticeship and traineeship system in NSW is administered by DET in accordance with the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001. The Department is responsible for:
- ensuring that the best quality education and training standards for apprentices and trainees are maintained throughout NSW
- assessing and approving applications to establish apprenticeships and traineeships
- registering training contracts between employers and their apprentices or trainees
- monitoring apprenticeship and traineeship arrangements
- issuing DET certification under the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 to the apprentice or trainee when their apprenticeship or traineeship is successfully completed. For example: Certificate of Proficiency, awarded to apprentices and trainees who successfully complete their training contract and also obtain relevant qualification delivered by an RTO
The Department can also assist if difficulties or disputes arise between employers and their apprentices or trainees. For more information go to Solving Problems/Dispute Resolution.
DET operates 11 State Training Centres in NSW to support employers, apprentices and trainees. For more information go to our Contacts page.