How to employ an apprentice or trainee

If you are considering employing apprentices or trainees for the first time, you have lots of options.

Not only are there now more than 480 apprenticeships and traineeships available in Western Australia, the way they’re managed is now far more flexible.

Most apprenticeships and traineeships involve recruiting young people just out of school either directly or through a Group Training Organisation, but that’s only the beginning.

You can also start training:

• students through training in schools - school based apprenticeships, traineeships and School Apprenticeship Link
• Aboriginal students through Aboriginal School Based Training
• mature workers wanting to start a new career
• existing workers with skills but not qualified
• existing workers without experience in their area of interest
• apprentices or trainees on a part-time basis

The Australian Government provides employers with financial incentives to employ apprentices and trainees including those in school based training.

To discuss the training needs that best suit your business, you can talk to your ApprentiCentre industry specialist.

Where do I start?

You can employ an apprentice or trainee directly or be a host employer through a Group Training Organisation.

An employer can recruit an apprentice or trainee in the same way as they recruit other employees, for example by advertising in newspapers or on the internet.

Place a vacancy on Jobs Board

Jobs Board is Apprenticentre's free online apprenticeship and traineeship vacancy listing service. Find out more...

Host through a group training organisation

Group training organisations employ apprentices and trainees and place them with host employers. Group training arrangements can assist employers who do not have sufficient work to employ a person for the full term of an apprenticeship or traineeship, or who are unable to provide all aspects of the required training. Group training organisations are set up in some geographical areas and others for particular industry sectors.

Contact a group training organisation for further assistance with hosting an apprentice or trainee.  Contact a group training organisation contracted to participate in Aboriginal School Based Training.

Through the Apprenticeship suspension list

ApprentiCentre also has a list of apprentices that currently have their training contract suspended and are looking for new employers. If you are looking for an apprentice that has already started their apprenticeship (for example a 2nd or 3rd year apprentice) contact ApprentiCentre and we can pass your details on to specific apprentices looking for new employers.