Benefits of Australian Apprenticeships

Business owners can transform their business by employing an apprentice or trainee – as skilled staff are key to performance and success. It is also an investment in your business, your community and your industry to ensure you are ready to take advantage of whatever the future marketplace has to offer.

It is important for businesses to learn from the past and ensure they don’t suffer future skills shortages.

The Australian Government encourages employers by helping make apprentices an affordable option to invest in skills for the future of your industry and business through employment of Australian Apprentices and for upskilling existing staff.

The Australian Government offers a variety of financial incentives for business owners wishing to employee Apprentices and Trainees. With the support of a good Australian Apprenticeship Centre (AAC) national employers can stay abreast of differing education requirements in each state.

The AAC National Business Development team will help you (at no cost) to navigate the complexities of the different state jurisdictions. Paperwork and processes for national clients is streamlined and user friendly to make it easy for businesses with offices in different parts of Australia to manage their employment of Australian Apprentices.

The online web portals service most provide allows employers to keep track of the status of each Apprentice, provides incentive claim forms for downloading and information on when incentives are due to be paid.

Financial incentives for training staff and for employing apprentices or trainees

The Australian Government provides a variety of financial incentives for eligible employers and Australian Apprentices. These incentives can change from time to time and eligibility criteria applies in order to receive them. AAC’s are able to advise which incentives are relevant to your industry and business and for which you may be eligible.

State and Federal governments also provide other financial incentives as an encouragement to employ Australian Apprentices. This funding varies depending on market needs to stimulate the economy.

Incentives for training new staff (employed less than 3 months on a full time or 12 months on a part time basis): if you directly employ an Australian Apprentice, your business may be eligible for government financial incentives of up to $4,000 and a range of additional incentives for eligible employers.

The incentive programs for training existing staff (outside the above criteria): employees can access training and financial incentives in certain circumstances only.

Additional incentives included:

• payroll tax rebates in selected states/territories
• workers compensation insurance premium exemptions
• support for Adult Apprentices up to $7800 payable for 1st year fulltime apprentices and up to $5200 payable for 2nd year full rime apprentices (payable as a wage subsidy where the apprentice is over 25 years old at the commencement of their apprenticeship)
• up to $5500 Tools for Trade payments to the apprentice (at 3, 12, 24 & 36 month milestones and on completion)

There are many other State Government financial incentives that may be payable to your business. AAC’s assists you with all the processes required in employing an apprentice or trainee, providing advice on training options and assisting with Training Contract sign up and incentive lodgements.