Here's How To Land An Apprenticeship Straight Outta School

So you’re thinking about picking up a trade after high school. If so, that’s awesome! The construction sector is a place where you can enjoy a great lifestyle, get paid to learn and maybe even start your own business one day. For most trades, you’re going to need an apprenticeship before you become a qualified tradesperson. But how do you actually go about getting one?

How do apprenticeships work?

Apprenticeships combine hands-on learning as well as in-class theory to give you a qualification in the field you’re interested in. They typically take 3-4 years to complete full-time, but you’ll emerge with a Certificate III in that field.

Your hands-on experience will be taken care of by an approved employer, who will be responsible for you on-site and show you the ropes. You’ll also usually have an in-class requirement as well with what’s called a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), which will help you develop your practical and theoretical skills in a classroom setting.

When you’re done, most trades are what’s called a licensed occupation, which means you’ll need to apply in your state to get fully licensed in your chosen field.

What do I need to start my apprenticeship journey?

The first thing you’ll want to organise is who your employer is going to be. You can do this by browsing employer websites, or getting in touch with local businesses to ask about apprenticeship opportunities.

Once you’ve found someone who’s willing to employ you as an apprentice or trainee, your next step is to contact an Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider (AASN). Their role is to liaise with you, your employer and an RTO to help create a training contract. You’ll learn more about your rights, responsibilities and obligations as a part of your apprenticeship. Once you’ve all agreed on who you’ll be working for and where you’ll be studying, you’ll be ready to get started! You can search for an AASN provider here.

What if I’m still at school, but wanna start now?

If you’re really eager, you can actually start your apprenticeship while you’re still in school. It’s called a couple of different things depending on which state you’re living in. In Queensland they’re called SATs, while in some other states they’re called SbATs, but they both stand for school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.

They can be a great way to get an early start to your career and help you land full-time employment once you graduate, but you’ll need to work with your school and your careers advisor to ensure you can fit it in with the rest of your studies.

What if I need some extra support for my study?

The Australian and State Governments are really invested in helping people like you find fulfilling, rewarding careers in important industries like construction - so there are several schemes in place to give you the support you need.

One scheme is the Australian Apprentice Training Support Payment. If you’re taking on an apprenticeship in a Priority Occupation (based on this list), you could be eligible for payments of up to $5000 over two years.

You can also apply for something called a Trade Support Loan. They operate in a similar way to HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP debts, where you receive an interest-free loan of up to $22,890 that you’ll automatically pay off over time once your income reaches above the minimum repayment threshold.

There’s also a Living Away From Home Allowance, which applies if you need to move away from your parent or guardian’s home to start an Australian Apprenticeship, remain in an Australian Apprenticeship or receive essential supplementary on-the-job training with another employer.
Your AASN will be able to help you with accessing these if you need to.

The construction industry is proof that you can embark on a rewarding career straight out of high school! If you’re interested in learning more about apprenticeships, make sure you check out Construction Skills Queensland.