It’s an employee doing a type of apprenticeship in New South Wales.
Trainee apprentices are different from regular apprentices because:
- an employer doesn’t have to agree to employ the apprentice for the entire apprenticeship period
- they usually get different pay rates and entitlements to regular apprentices.
From 1 January 2018 new trainee apprenticeships can no longer be made.
Which awards cover them?
Only the Plumbing Award has pay rates and other entitlements for trainee apprentices.
Can an agreement cover them?
Registered agreements can cover trainee apprentices if they have specific provisions for trainee apprentices.
Agreements can’t provide pay rates and entitlements that are less than the relevant award pay rates and the National Employment Standards.
References
Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 (NSW) - Schedule 4, cl 37 says that trainee apprenticeships that started or an application was made before 1 January 2018 continue to apply and are not affected by the 1 January 2018 changes.
What to do next
- Find out about Awards & agreements
- Find out more about Employment contracts
- Test your knowledge about awards and agreements with our Workplace Basics quiz
- Find out about the Award classifications
- Find out about Other workplace relations help
