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How to get an apprenticeship in Brisbane

You are paid from the first day, the qualification is included, and you are not too old. Here is how it actually works.

The part most people get wrong

There is no age limit

Most adults assume apprenticeships are for school leavers. They are not. A mature age apprentice is anyone twenty one or over, and the award wage is higher than the junior rate. If you have relevant experience already, it can also shorten the term.

You are an employee from the first day. You are paid, you accrue leave, and the training is part of the job rather than something you pay for and fit around it.

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How it works

Three parties, one arrangement

An employerHires you and signs the training contract. Without one, there is no apprenticeship.
A training organisationDelivers the qualification. TAFE or a private RTO, usually one day a week or in blocks.
An Apprenticeship Connect providerFree service that registers the contract and handles the paperwork.

The order matters, and it is where most people get stuck. You need the employer first. You do not enrol in an apprenticeship and then look for work. You find someone willing to take you on, and everything else follows from that.

Apprenticeship or traineeship

They are not the same thing

ApprenticeshipUsually a trade. Three to four years. Electrical, plumbing, carpentry, hairdressing, barbering, automotive. Ends in a Certificate III and, for some trades, a licence.
TraineeshipUsually not a trade. One to two years. Business administration, aged care, childcare, retail, hospitality, warehousing. Ends in a Certificate II or III.

A traineeship is often the faster route into office and care work, and adults overlook it far more than they overlook apprenticeships.

What it pays

Less at first, then more

An apprentice wage starts low and rises each year. A first year apprentice earns considerably less than the qualified rate, and by the fourth year is close to it. Adult apprentice rates are higher than junior rates throughout.

The exact rate depends on the award, the year, your age and whether you have completed Year 12. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the current figures, and it is worth checking them rather than taking anyone's word for it, including ours.

Fair Work Ombudsman ›
Finding one

Four ways, in order of what works

  • Ask directly. Small trade businesses rarely advertise. Walking in or ringing works more often than applying online, and it is how a lot of apprentices actually get started.
  • Group training organisations. They employ apprentices and place them with host employers, which means you are not relying on one business staying busy for four years.
  • Pre apprenticeship courses. A short course that gets you a White Card, some basic skills and something to show. It does not guarantee an apprenticeship, but it makes you easier to say yes to.
  • Advertised roles. They exist, and they are the most competitive route. Use them, but do not rely on them.
Before you commit

Four things worth asking

  • Ask whether your existing experience counts. It can shorten the term.
  • Ask which training organisation the employer uses, and what the off the job training looks like.
  • Ask what happens if the business goes quiet. A group training organisation carries that risk instead of you.
  • Ask what the trade actually needs at the end. Some require a separate licence beyond the qualification.

We will work out which of these applies to you, and ask on your behalf. Start with the free check.

Official sources

Where to check for yourself

We would rather you verified this than took our word for it.

Australian Apprenticeships› Queensland Apprenticeships› Fair Work, apprentice pay›