If your business is growing and needs to invest in its workforce, you may wish to consider recruiting an apprentice or trainee. Apprenticeships and traineeships are slightly different, but they have the same common goal –upskilling an employee in their line of work.

An apprentice is a worker who undergoes structured training combined with practical experience at either their place of work or with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to receive their qualification.

A trainee, on the other hand, has a formal training agreement between themselves and an employer whereby the employee agrees to train the trainee in a specific industry, and the trainee agrees to work and learn. 

There are many benefits for both the employer and employee. Supporting an employee in this holistic approach may lead to increased engagement with the business and employee’s desire to succeed. From a business perspective, having an apprentice or trainee will bring a new and diverse skillset to your business and possibly also provide your business with some government funding and incentives at both a federal and state level.

So how is recruiting for an apprentice or trainee different from recruiting for an experienced person? Essentially the process is the same. The business needs to determine that they would benefit from a trainee or apprentice and focus on the skills and competencies required. A useful way of doing this would be to prepare a job description.

When seeking out suitable candidates, you can advertise direct, or you can also contact a Apprenticeships or Traineeships provider who can also assist you with your search and provide advice on apprenticeships or traineeships best aligned with your business. Once you have selected a candidate, the agencies will assist you in formalising any arrangements. Saying that you, as an employer, still need to provide the employee with an employment agreement outlining the terms and conditions of employment (including the provision of a Fair Work Information Statement) and ensure you are paying the apprentice or trainee the correct rate of pay under the relevant Award.