Completing an Australian Apprenticeship
When the Australian Apprentice has completed all the structured training and is able to demonstrate full competence in the workplace, the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) will issue the nationally recognised qualification to the Australian Apprentice.
If a trade apprenticeship has been completed the RTO must also issue the apprentice with a Supporting Statement verifying that the apprentice is a fully qualified tradesperson.
If you are an apprentice who travelled interstate to do your off-job training, you will need to apply to the Department for your Supporting Statement.
The Australian Apprenticeship System in the ACT is fully competency-based. This means that Australian Apprentices finish their Australian Apprenticeship as soon as the RTO has issued the qualification and for apprentices the Supporting Statement. Australian Apprentices are not required to stay in the Training Contract if they finish the Australian Apprenticeship before the full term of the Training Contract is reached. They do not have to apply to the Department to finish early.
The process for finalising the Australian Apprenticeship requires the RTO to send a copy of the qualification to the Department, either electronically or on paper. Once received, the Department will close the Training Contract and the Australian Apprentice’s file and the Australian Apprenticeship is formally terminated. Employers cannot pay Apprentice or Trainee wages once the full qualification and Supporting Statement (where relevant) is provided to the Australian Apprentice.
The Australian Apprenticeships Centre will be alerted when the Department closes the Training Contract and will attend to completion arrangements with the employer.
