How to apply for an apprenticeship or traineeship

You've decided that you’d like to ‘earn and learn’ through an apprenticeship or traineeship. All you need now is to get started. Follow our four-step process to help you on your journey.

1. Decide on a vocation or trade

Ask yourself where your skills, aptitudes, and interests lie so that you can then decide what type of apprenticeship or traineeship to undertake.

Australian Apprenticeship Pathways is a good starting point, listing more than 500 apprenticeships and traineeships. Here, you can search for an apprenticeship or traineeship by industry or area of interest.

2. Find an employer

There are several options when it comes to finding an employer willing to take you on as an apprentice or trainee.

• Contact local businesses directly: Some local businesses are registered to employ apprentices and trainees. You can search for the available ones via the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways website.

• Look at advertisements on job websites: You can search job sites such as Seek and SpotJobs for apprenticeship and traineeship positions. Keywords to try in the search bar are apprentice, or trainee.

• Contact a Group Training Organisation (GTO): Like job agencies, GTOs connect apprentices and trainees with a suitable employer. Within Australia, these organisations employ approximately 30,000 apprentices and trainees. GTOs are responsible for monitoring and paying the apprentice or trainee. To find a GTO in your state, you can visit the Group Training Australia website.

3. Contact an Apprenticeship Network Provider (ANP)

Now that you have secured an apprenticeship or traineeship, your employer will contact your nominated ANP. The function of the ANP is to assist the employer to register an employee, per the set requirements. This includes:

• writing a contract
• submitting the contract
• qualifying any eligibility for funding
• supplying details on who to contact with any potential problems.

4. Seek a training provider

Once you have signed your contract, you need to seek a training provider. Apprenticeships and traineeships combine on-the-job training completed with the employer with off-the-job structured training completed at a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). The RTO will advise you and your new employer on the specific units of study that need to be completed to earn the final qualification.