Is a Traineeship Considered Employment?
Yes. A traineeship is a form of paid employment. Trainees are engaged under a formal employment arrangement and receive a wage for the hours they work, in line with the relevant Modern Award or Enterprise Bargaining Agreement. The workplace experience you gain during your traineeship is genuine work history that can be included on your resume and referenced in future job applications.
What Makes a Traineeship Employment?
A traineeship is a type of Australian Apprenticeship, which means it involves a formal Training Contract registered with the relevant State or Territory Training Authority. As part of that arrangement, the trainee is employed, either full-time or part-time, by an employer or a Group Training Organisation.
Being employed as a trainee means you have the same fundamental entitlements as any other employee, including:
- A wage paid in accordance with the relevant Modern Award or EBA
- Superannuation contributions at the mandatory Superannuation Guarantee rate
- Entitlements to annual leave, personal leave and other conditions under the National Employment Standards
- Coverage under the appropriate state-based workers' compensation scheme
- Workplace health and safety protections
The training component, which involves off-the-job study with a Registered Training Organisation, is structured around your employment rather than replacing it. You are an employee who also studies, not a student who also works.
Does Traineeship Experience Count on Your Resume?
Yes, and this is one of the most practically valuable aspects of undertaking a traineeship, particularly for people who are early in their careers.
The work experience you gain during your traineeship is real, paid employment in a genuine workplace. It counts as work history in exactly the same way as any other job. When you apply for future roles, you can list your traineeship employer, your role, your dates of employment and the skills and responsibilities you developed during the placement.
For young people or those re-entering the workforce who may have limited work history, the employment record a traineeship provides can be a significant asset. By the time you complete your traineeship, you will have one to three years of documented workplace experience and a formal qualification, which is a strong foundation for the next step in your career.
What About School-Based Trainees?
School-based traineeships are also considered employment, even though the trainee is still completing their secondary education at the same time.
A school-based traineeship blends school attendance, formal off-the-job study with an RTO and part-time paid work with a host employer. The part-time employment component is genuine work history. The hours you work, the skills you develop and the professional experience you gain can all be included on your resume.
For students who complete a school-based traineeship, this means they finish Year 12 with not just their school results but also a formal qualification and a verifiable employment history. This is a significant advantage over peers who are starting their careers without any prior workplace experience.
How Does This Differ From Work Experience or an Internship?
It is worth distinguishing a traineeship from unpaid work experience or an internship, as these are fundamentally different arrangements.
Unpaid work experience typically involves a short-term placement, often arranged through a school, where a student observes or assists in a workplace without being employed or paid. While useful for exposure, it does not create the same formal employment record as a traineeship and does not lead to a qualification.
An internship may be paid or unpaid depending on the arrangement, but it does not involve a formal Training Contract or a nationally recognised qualification outcome.
A traineeship, by contrast, is a formal employment arrangement underpinned by a registered Training Contract. You are employed, paid, working toward a qualification and building genuine professional skills and experience throughout the entire program. The distinction matters when it comes to your resume, your entitlements and the formal recognition of your skills.
Ready to Get Started?
Browse current traineeship opportunities on the MIGAS Jobs Board, or register your details and we will be in touch when a suitable role becomes available in your area and field of interest.