Apprentice wages in Australia

How your minimum apprentice rate is worked out

Your minimum pay comes from the award or registered agreement that covers your employer and your trade, for example the Building and Construction General On-site Award for many construction trades or the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award for electrical apprentices. Within that award, your rate is usually expressed as a proportion of a qualified tradesperson's rate and moves up as you progress.

Progression happens one of two ways. Under time-based progression you move to the next pay level after a set period, commonly 12 months. Under competency-based progression you move up once you have achieved a set share of the skills and training requirements of the apprenticeship, which can be faster than the calendar. Your training contract and award determine which applies.

Rather than relying on figures quoted in articles or by mates on site, put your details into the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool. It reflects the current award rates, which change at least once a year after the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review, usually from the first full pay period on or after 1 July.

• •Your award or enterprise agreement sets the base rate, not a national apprentice wage
• •Rates step up by year or stage, through time-based or competency-based progression
• •Adult apprentices (generally those who start at 21 or older) often have higher minimums under their award
• •Having finished year 12 can lift your rate under some awards
• •School-based apprentices have their own arrangements, including payment for some training time

What gets paid on top of the base rate

The base rate is only the starting point. Awards add overtime and penalty rates for work outside ordinary hours, plus allowances that can matter a lot in the trades, such as tool allowances, travel allowances and industry or site allowances. Superannuation is paid on top of wages for eligible employees, and apprentices get the same National Employment Standards entitlements as other employees, including annual leave, personal leave and public holidays.

Many awards also require employers to cover or reimburse training costs such as course fees and textbooks, and to treat time spent at trade school as paid time. If you attend block release training away from home, many awards require the employer to pay excess reasonable travel costs. The exact rules differ by award, so check yours or ask the Fair Work Ombudsman.

• •Overtime and penalty rates apply under most trade awards
• •Tool, travel and industry allowances can form a real part of weekly pay
• •Time at TAFE or trade school is generally paid time for full-time apprentices
• •Many awards require the employer to pay or reimburse course fees and textbooks
• •Block release travel costs are covered under many awards

Government financial support for apprentices

Separate from wages, the Australian Government runs financial support programs for apprentices, particularly in priority occupations. These can include direct support payments and the Australian Apprenticeship Support Loan. Programs, eligibility rules and amounts change over time, so check the current details on the official Australian Apprenticeships website or talk to your apprenticeship support provider.

States and territories also offer their own support, such as travel and accommodation subsidies for training, fee concessions and completion payments. Your state training authority is the right place to check what applies where you live.

State differences: pay systems and licensing

Most apprentices are in the national fair work system, but Western Australia still runs a state industrial relations system that covers some employers, mainly sole traders and certain partnerships. If your WA employer is in the state system, your minimums come from a WA award and state legislation instead of a national award, and WA's Wageline is the contact point for pay questions.

Occupational licensing is also state and territory based. Trades such as electrical and plumbing require a licence to work unsupervised, and the licence classes, eligibility rules and application processes vary between states. Your apprenticeship qualification is nationally recognised, but always confirm licensing requirements with the regulator in the state where you plan to work.

Working for a group training organisation

Some apprentices are employed by a group training organisation (GTO) rather than directly by the business they work in. The GTO is your legal employer: it pays your wages, manages your entitlements and training contract, and places you with one or more host employers. Your pay entitlements still come from the relevant award or agreement, so the same checking tools apply.

If your pay looks wrong

Start by running your details through the Pay and Conditions Tool and comparing the result with your payslips, which your employer must give you. If there is a gap, raise it with your employer first, since many underpayments are honest errors that get fixed quickly. If that does not resolve it, the Fair Work Ombudsman provides free help with pay disputes, and your state or territory training authority can help with issues about the training contract itself. Unions in your trade can also assist members with pay checks.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman, your state training authority, or the Australian Apprenticeships service on 13 38 73.