How does it all work?

 

When you take on an apprentice or trainee, they’ll work with you either full-time or part-time, while receiving formal training from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). As well as formal training, your apprentice or trainee will also benefit from on-the-job training and experience they gain in your workplace.

When it comes to finding an apprentice or trainee, the first step is to figure out whether an apprenticeship or traineeship is available in your industry. You can find this info on Australia's apprenticeship and traineeship directory, Your Career or by getting in touch with us.

Next, you'll need to find the right match for your team.  

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    Finding an apprentice or trainee

    If you're looking to build your team with an apprentice or trainee, MEGT has several options to help you find the right match.

    Group Training - we employ them, you hire them

    For a flexible, low-risk solution to building your workforce, become a Host Employer with MEGT today. We'll employ your new apprentice or trainee and remain their legal employer. 

    This means we'll pay their wages, monitor their training, and make sure they have the mentoring and support they need along the way.

    All you need to do is provide day-to-day work, supervision and on-the-job training as your apprentice or trainee works towards a nationally accredited qualification.

    Post jobs online and other resources

    Prefer to look after the lot? Register for our free Career Hub

    Once registered, you can post unlimited job ads on our dedicated apprenticeship and traineeship job board and receive applications direct to your Career Hub employer dashboard.

    You'll also have access to a comprehensive Employer Toolkit and our Career Hub Team to help you through every step of the recruitment process.

    To find out more about all of these options, head here.

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    Where does MEGT come in?

    In order for your apprentice or trainee to enrol with an RTO and for you to receive potential financial incentives, they need to be signed into a Commonwealth Government Training Contract. That's where we come in.

    As part of the Australian Government’s commitment to developing a highly skilled nation, Apprenticeship Network Providers have been appointed across the country to deliver Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) services.

    Apprenticeship Network Providers offer a free service to industry, employers, apprentices and trainees to assist them with the sign-up, administration and management of apprenticeships and traineeships.

    MEGT is one of 7 Apprenticeship Network Providers contracted by the Australian Government through the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to provide AASN services.

    We'll sign up your apprentice or trainee and lodge their Training Contract with the relevant State Training Authority (STA), making the Australian Apprenticeship official.

    While we're signing up your apprentice or trainee, we can also help you choose the RTO that best suits your needs, help you with enrolment when the time comes and check your eligibility for Government financial incentives. Find out more about potential financial incentives here.

    As an Apprenticeship Network Provider, MEGT has a guarantee of service that:

    • The advice we provide will be accurate and reliable,
    • We will keep up-to-date with detailed knowledge of Federal and State Government requirements,
    • We will be prompt in our response to customer enquiries and needs, and
    • We will actively support and promote the opportunities provided through the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network programme
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      More about the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network

      The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) is made up of Apprenticeship Network Providers contracted by the Australian Government. The Apprenticeship Network Providers offer a free service to industry, employers, apprentices and trainees to assist them with the sign-up, administration and management of apprenticeships and traineeships.

      These services include:

      Universal services

      Universal services are those services provided to all employers, apprentices and trainees, including:

      • Marketing, information and advice
      • Sign up and assessing eligibility for Australian Government financial incentives, and
      • Client Progress contacts and claims processing.

      Targeted Services

      These are the services available to people who have been identified in consultation with MEGT as requiring additional support. The services support employers, apprentices and trainees throughout the apprenticeship or traineeship.

      These include our FREE:

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      Paying apprentices and trainees

      How much you should pay your apprentice or trainee depends on the agreement, award or legislation they are covered by.

      In most cases, apprentices and trainees are covered by an award. Modern awards were created to establish one set of minimum conditions for employers and employees across Australia who work in the same industries or occupations.

      If you’re not sure if your apprentice or trainee is covered by an agreement, award or legislation, the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) is here to help.

      By answering a few simple questions, you can find out which agreement, award or legislation covers your apprentices or trainees, and their minimum pay rates and working conditions.

      Follow this link to access PACT or call Fair Work on 13 13 94.

      PACT logo

       

      Staying on top of wage and working conditions updates

      With wages and working condition legislation continually being reviewed and updated, it can be difficult for employers to keep up with these changes as they occur – especially with the amount of information included in each award.

      Fair Work makes this easy too. When you register for a free Fair Work ‘My Account’, you’ll be notified about changes to pay and conditions relevant to your workplace. You’ll also have access to the Fair Work team via web chat to get all the answers you need when you need them.

      Register for ‘My Account' here.

        © Fair Work Ombudsman www.fairwork.gov.au

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      Paying for time spent at training/trade school

      The time your apprentice or trainee spends offsite attending formal training is paid time and is included in their ordinary hours of work (e.g. 38 hours per week).

      Once you’ve developed a formal Training Plan with the RTO and agreed with your apprentice or trainee and their RTO about how often they will go to trade school (e.g. one day per week or week blocks of training), you must then ensure your apprentice or trainee is given this time to attend training.

      If your apprentice or trainee doesn’t attend trade school when they’re supposed to, they don’t get paid for that time (unless they’re on sick leave or another type of leave).

      Find out more about paying apprentices and school-based apprentices to attend training here.

      Find out more about paying trainees for attending training here.

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      Training fees and materials

      Although it can depend on the award covering your apprentice or trainee, in general apprentices and trainees have to be reimbursed for:

      • All the fees charged by the RTO that are related to their training
      • The cost of their prescribed textbooks for the apprenticeship/traineeship

      As an employer, you don't have to reimburse your apprentice or trainee for fees and textbooks if:

      • Their progress in the course is unsatisfactory
      • You pay the costs and fees directly to the RTO, or
      • Your apprentice or trainee is not working for you at the time that the costs have to be reimbursed (this is outlined in the relevant award)

      You also don’t have to reimburse any part of the fees that the Government reimburses your apprentice or trainee.

      Find out more about reimbursement of training fees and textbooks for apprentices here.

      Find out more about reimbursement of training fees and textbooks for trainees here.

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      Recognition of previous skills or experience

      Apprentices and trainees have the opportunity to have their previous skills, knowledge and experiences recognised formally, without having to undergo unnecessary training if they're already competent. This is known as a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment which is conducted by their RTO at the time of enrolment.

      RTOs also conduct Recognition of Current Competency (RCC) assessments for apprentices and trainees who have already completed some formal training in the relevant field to determine whether they can be awarded ‘credit’ and not have to repeat the training.

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      Supervising apprentices and trainees

      When you take on an apprentice or trainee, you must ensure that:

      • You have a suitably qualified person to supervise your apprentice or trainee at all times.
      • On-the-job training will enable the apprentice or trainee to become a competent worker.
      • Your apprentice or trainee is allowed to attend off-the-job training if it applies.
      • Your apprentice or trainee is released from routine duties to complete on-the-job training when required.

      To find out more about your legal rights and obligations - as well as your apprentice or trainee's rights and obligations - click here.

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      Completion of an apprenticeship or traineeship

      Australian Apprenticeships are competency-based, which means completion can occur at any stage as long as all parties agree that the required skills (competencies) have been achieved.

      When the time comes to complete the apprenticeship or traineeship, we can assist with this process.

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      Further entitlements and financial support

      Depending on your agreement, award or legislation, your apprentice or trainee may be entitled to further financial entitlements.

      Find out more about wage entitlements here.

      While there are some costs involved in putting on an apprentice or trainee, the Australian Government offers financial support to eligible employers to help with these costs.

      Find out more about potential financial incentives here.

    Contact us today to find out more!

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