What is an Apprenticeship?
An Australian Apprenticeship is a formal training arrangement that combines paid employment with structured learning toward a nationally recognised qualification. You work in a real workplace, earn a wage, and develop practical trade skills under the supervision of experienced tradespeople, while also completing off-the-job training with a Registered Training Organisation. The term Australian Apprenticeship covers both apprenticeships and traineeships.
What Makes an Apprenticeship Different From Other Training Pathways?
The defining feature of an Australian Apprenticeship is that you are employed and earning from day one. Unlike university, where you typically study full-time and accumulate a HECS-HELP debt before entering the workforce, an apprenticeship puts you in the workforce immediately.
In an apprenticeship, you develop skills in a real workplace, earn a wage that increases as you progress, and finish with a formal qualification and years of practical experience behind you.
For many trades, an apprenticeship is not just one pathway to qualification. It is the only pathway. You cannot become a licensed electrician, plumber or gasfitter in Australia without completing a formal apprenticeship. The qualification and the practical experience it encompasses are both required.
Apprenticeships and Traineeships: What's the Difference?
Both apprenticeships and traineeships fall under the formal term Australian Apprenticeships, and both involve the same core structure: a Training Contract, paid employment, on-the-job skill development and off-the-job training with an RTO.
The distinction between the two comes down to the specific qualification being undertaken, as determined by the relevant government training authority. Traditional trade qualifications, such as electrical, engineering, carpentry or automotive, lead to what is commonly referred to as an apprenticeship. Qualifications in vocational areas such as business administration, hospitality, community services or warehousing typically lead to what is called a traineeship.
Trade-related traineeships also exist in areas such as gas plant operations, civil construction and environmental services, where the work is trades-based but the qualification falls under the traineeship classification.
How Does an Apprenticeship Work?
An Australian Apprenticeship has two components that run alongside each other throughout the training period.
On-the-job training
The majority of your time as an apprentice is spent working in a real workplace under the supervision of qualified tradespeople. This is where you develop the practical skills of your trade, learning how to use tools and equipment, apply safety procedures and complete the tasks required of a qualified worker in your occupation.
As you progress through your apprenticeship you take on more complex work, building competency progressively across all the requirements of your qualification. Your wage increases at each year level to reflect your growing skills and contribution.
Off-the-job training
Alongside your workplace training, you attend a Registered Training Organisation such as a TAFE to complete the theoretical component of your qualification. This is usually structured as block release, where you attend for a set period at regular intervals throughout the year, or day release, where you attend one day per week.
Attendance is mandatory and forms a required part of your Training Contract. You are paid for your off-the-job training time just as you are for your hours on the job.
What Qualification Do You Work Toward?
Australian Apprenticeships lead to qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework, most commonly a Certificate III. These are nationally recognised credentials that carry weight with employers across the country and across industries.
The specific qualification depends on the trade or vocational area. An electrician apprenticeship leads to a Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician. A mechanical fitter apprenticeship leads to a Certificate III in Engineering - Mechanical Trade.
Your Training Contract will specify the qualification you are working toward from the start.
Who Can Do an Apprenticeship?
The barriers to entry for an Australian Apprenticeship are relatively low. To be eligible you must be of legal working age and have the right to work in Australia, meaning you are an Australian citizen, permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen with an eligible work visa.
Specific requirements vary by trade and employer. Some trades require completion of Year 12, or study of particular subjects at school.
Electrical apprenticeships, for example, typically require a Year 12 mathematics background. Some roles may also require specific licences or certifications before you can start, such as a Construction White Card for site-based work or a driver's licence for roles involving vehicle operation.
Any specific requirements will be listed in the job advertisement. If you are unsure whether you meet the requirements for a particular role, it is worth contacting the employer or the GTO directly to discuss your circumstances.
Apprenticeships are open to school leavers, people re-entering the workforce, and adults of any age looking to change careers (mature age apprentices). There is no upper age limit.
How Long Does an Apprenticeship Take?
Trade apprenticeships typically take three to four years to complete on a full-time basis. Traineeships are generally shorter, running from one to three years depending on the qualification.
Australian Apprenticeships operate on a competency-based completion model, meaning you finish when your employer and RTO are satisfied that you have demonstrated the required skills and knowledge, rather than when a set number of years has passed. In practice, most apprentices complete within the standard timeframe, though motivated apprentices in well-structured placements may complete ahead of schedule.
Why Do an Apprenticeship?
Hands-on, practical learning
Trade apprenticeships are built around learning by doing. The skills you develop are practical, applicable and developed in a real work environment rather than a classroom.
For many people, this style of learning is far more effective and engaging than traditional academic study.
You earn while you learn
You are paid from day one, with wages increasing as you progress through each year of your training. There is no HECS-HELP debt at the end, and no gap between finishing your qualification and entering the workforce. You are already in the workforce.
Strong job security and career prospects
Skilled tradespeople are consistently in demand across Australian industry. Mining and resources, manufacturing, construction, energy and utilities all rely on qualified tradespeople, and the pipeline of new entrants into the trades has not kept pace with demand.
Completing a trade apprenticeship puts you in a strong and durable position in the labour market.
Industry connections from day one
From your first week on the job you are building professional relationships within your industry. Many apprentices transition directly into ongoing employment with the host business where they completed their training.
The network you build during your apprenticeship can open doors throughout your career.
How Do You Find an Apprenticeship?
You can apply for apprenticeships directly with employers, through job boards, or through a Group Training Organisation like MIGAS. Applying through MIGAS means we become your legal employer, place you with a suitable host business and support you throughout your training. If a placement is not working out, we find you a new host so your training continues.
Browse current 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 trade of interest.