• The National VET System
• Industry and Community Consultation
• Australian Apprenticeships
  • Australian Apprentices
  • Employers and Group Training Organisations
  • Australian Apprenticeships Centres
  • Registered Training Organisations
• Training Awards
• Accreditation and Registration
• Funded Programs
• Adult and Community Education
• Vocational Learning in Schools
• Contact Training and Tertiary Education

There are six easy steps to becoming an Apprentice or Trainee:

Step 1
Seek employment and an employer in the industry of your choice.  This can be done through a Group Training Company, the Job Network , job sites on the internet, responding to advertisements in the newspaper, through friends, family or your school. School students should also check Australian School Based Apprenticeships.

Step 2
Commence work with your employer.

Step 3
With your employer, choose an Australian Apprenticeships Centre who will help you fill out a Training Contract and choose the right qualification.  The Training Contract can commence on the same day that employment commences or at a later date.  Australian Apprentices who have been employed less than 3 months full time or 12 months part time equivalent at the time of signing a Training Contract are classified as new employees (those employed longer than this are classified as existing employees). 

Step 4
With your Australian Apprenticeship Centre, and employer, discuss your training options and choose a Registered Training Organisation.

Step 5
Receive a copy of the Training Contract lodged by your Australian Apprenticeships Centre. 

Step 6
Negotiate and sign a Training Plan with the Registered Training Organisation you and your employer have selected to provide your training.

Step 7
Commence the structured training and meet all the requirements of the training program and the Registered Training Organisation through to completion of your qualification. You will also have to be assessed and validated as competent in the workplace. 

You can be an Australian Apprentice if you enter a Training Contract with your employer.

You can enter a Training Contract if you:

• are in paid work in the ACT
• are at least 15 years old
• are an Australian citizen, permanent resident or New Zealand passport holder resident for more than 6 months
• agree to undertake a minimum of 15 hours combined work and training per week (minimum of 11 hours and maximum of 20 hours for an Australian School Based Apprentice)
• undertake an approved Australian Apprenticeships qualification with an approved Registered Training Organisation
• are not a casual employee or self-employed (sub-contractor)

Once Training and Tertiary Education Directorate (TaTE) of the ACT Department of Education and Training approves your Training Contract they advise your Registered Training Organisation if they are eligible to receive funding for your training.