An employer and an apprentice or trainee must agree to a training contract and training plan before training can start. If the apprentice or trainee is under 18 their parent or guardian must also agree.
Training contracts
A training contract is a legally binding document that is agreed between you, as the employer, and an apprentice or trainee.
It must be signed by a parent or legal guardian if the apprentice or trainee is under 18. It covers:
- the length of the training period, apprenticeship or traineeship
- details of the registered training organisation (RTO) delivering the training
- the qualification to be obtained
- employment arrangements and industrial award.
The training contract must be lodged with an Apprenticeship Network Provider (ANP). The ANP can help with preparing the training contract as well as other paperwork.
Find your local Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider - Australian Apprenticeships
Training plans
A training plan is part of the training arrangement and is negotiated between the employer, the apprentice or trainee, and a RTO. The training contract can't be approved until the training plan has been submitted to the Department for Innovation. The training plan provides:
- the core and elective units the apprentice or trainee will do as part of their qualification
- the training provider who will be delivering the training
- whether training will be delivered on-job or off-job, or a mix of both - this is sometimes done wholly on-job
- where and when the training will occur.
About apprenticeships and traineeships - Skilled Careers
Variations to contracts and plans
Apprenticeships and traineeships are flexible and can be changed if necessary.
Make changes to your apprenticeship or traineeship - Skilled Careers
