The Requirements for Hiring an Apprentice

If you are considering hiring an apprentice, you’re opening yourself up to an incredible opportunity. After all, an apprentice can add a lot of value to your business.

But if you hire an apprentice, you need to have certain circumstances in place to ensure you are eligible to hire them.

If you are looking to get an apprentice on board, All Trades Queensland can help you to get started. Read on to find out about the requirements for hiring an apprentice and then get in touch if you would like to know more.

What Type Of Apprentice Can You Hire?

When hiring an apprentice, you do not necessarily have to take on a full-time apprentice; you can choose an apprentice that is right for you. You might like to hire someone full-time, part-time, or even as a school-based apprentice.

No matter what type of apprentice you hire, you may be able to receive financial incentives.

This is assistance provided by the Australian Government to get more businesses working with apprentices.

• Your apprentice cannot work casually; you need to have them on full or part-time.
• If you want someone who can work irregular hours, then you need to think about whether an apprentice is right for you.

Is Your Business Ready To Take On An Apprentice?

When taking on an apprentice, you need to be prepared to hire them legally and with the knowledge on how to pay them and employ them under the National Employment Standards.

This means you need to give them a maximum of 38 hours’ work per week (plus any reasonable overtime) and provide them with leave as with any other employee.

You will be paying your apprentice a certain amount based on their skill level, and you will be required to increase their pay in line with them reaching certain milestones.

What You Need To Get Right When Hiring A New Apprentice In Your Business

When you’re hiring a new apprentice, you want to start off on the right foot. You need to have a few things up to date and confirmed to ensure that you make the most of their time with you. You need to:

• Know what type of award or agreement you are going to pay your apprentice under. This will set out what rate your apprentice needs to be paid at and what type of leave entitlements they are eligible for.
• Figure out what status of employment you want your apprentice to have. They can be school-based, full-time, or part-time.
• Make sure you are paying your apprentice the right amount! Your apprentice might be eligible for more pay, depending on what type of work they are undertaking.
• Organise training with a training provider. All Trades Queensland can provide the information you need to get an apprentice started with a training provider.
• Confirm your workplace is a safe environment for them to learn and train in. You have a legal requirement to keep your employees safe at all times when they are at work.
• Complete all the paperwork to make things official. You will want to give your apprentice a written contract to get them on board. They will need to provide their pay information and details about their tax file number just like any other employee, so on-board them like you would anyone else.
• Get them inducted and ready for their first day. Set out expectations for your new team member, so they have standards to meet. This is particularly relevant for a school-based apprentice who might not have any previous work experience and who might find it hard to get their head around what is expected of them.

Hiring an apprentice can be a deeply rewarding process for an employer. At All Trades Queensland, we are here to make the process of hiring your new apprentice simple.We have been working with employers for many years and know what it takes to make a successful hire.