Looking for new staff or wanting to upskill or train existing staff? Employing an Australian apprentice or trainee may be your solution. 

Apprentices and trainees gain practical skills and nationally recognised training while working in your business, contributing valuable skills to your workplace. 

Benefits of hiring a trainee or apprentice 

There are many benefits to hiring a trainee or apprentice: 

  • you’ll secure talent and reduce possible future workforce skill shortages 
  • experienced staff in your business will have mentoring opportunities 
  • you’ll be able to access to government funding, incentives and rebates (where eligible) 
  • you’ll support future generations to grow their skills in industry.

Why choose Chisholm?  

At Chisholm, we have over 20 years of experience in apprenticeship and traineeship course delivery across a broad range of areas. In 2021 we worked with industry to educate over 6500+ apprentices and trainees. 

Our experienced educators and trainers work with you to understand your business training needs. This enables us to tailor training for your apprentices and trainees, meeting the needs of your business through quality nationally accredited training. 

Flexible training is designed to suit your business and can be delivered at your workplace, online, on campus or through combined delivery. 

We pride ourselves on our reputation as a registered training organisation that’s responsive to business requirements and the needs of apprentices and trainees. And we aim to make the business of training your workforce as simple and stress free as possible. 

Our training keeps pace with changes in the workplace and wider industry. Training in the workplace will reduce the time your apprentice or trainee is away from the business, saving you time and money. 

Eligibility for financial assistance 

As an employer of an Australian Apprentice, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the Australian Government to help with hiring, training and retaining an apprentice. 

The $2.4 billion Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System commenced on 1 July 2022. Until 30 June 2024, this scheme will provide wage subsidies for eligible employers in priority occupations, which are listed on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List.  

There is a summary of assistance under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program. 

For more information contact your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider. 

If you’re interested in becoming a trainee, visit our Apprenticeship and Traineeship page. 

Apprenticeship Hub: supporting employers  

Our Apprenticeship Hub, located at our Dandenong campus, is a single point of contact for enrolled apprentices and their employers. 

The Apprenticeship Hub is located in Building A, Dandenong. Entry is via the Student Hub. 

Phone: 1300 244 746 
Phone lines are open Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5pm. 
The Apprenticeship Hub is open via appointment only.  

Our people are experts when it comes to the apprenticeship process, offering dedicated support and information. We manage first-year apprenticeship enrolments and all apprenticeship and employer enquiries, and can liaise with your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network where required. 

At the Apprenticeship Hub, we’ll: 

  • answer your questions via phone, email and webchat 
  • enrol your Chisholm apprentice/s 
  • assist in linking you and your apprentices to support services 
  • help you to access our employer portal and track the progress of your apprentice. 

Access the employer portal 

Apprenticeship training plans 

You’ll need a signed training plan before you can access wage subsidies and other government incentives.  

To access your training plan, you and your apprentice will need to: 

  1. register your training contract with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority 
  2. complete the enrolment process with us 
  3. provide the signed training plan back to the Apprenticeship Hub. 

Once you’ve completed these three steps, your training plan will be available to download from our employer portal. 

If you don't have access to the employer portal or need assistance, email us: employerportal@chisholm.edu.au. Include your contact details, business name and apprentice details, and a team member will get back to you. 

How to hire an apprentice or trainee 

There are certain steps you’ll need to take before you employ an apprentice or trainee.

Understand your obligations 

Before taking on an apprentice or trainee, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the employment arrangements and the conditions of employment for apprentices and trainees.  

Find out more on the Fair Work Ombudsman website: www.fairwork.gov.au. 

Decide what type of person you want 

You’ll need to understand the skills your business needs, identify what the job involves and work out if you need a part-time or full-time apprentice or trainee before looking for an apprentice or trainee. 

Find an apprentice or trainee 

There are many ways to find the right person for your apprenticeship or traineeship: 

A Group Training Organisation assists organisations (particularly small to medium businesses) that don’t have the capacity to manage the administration required to employ an apprentice or trainee. The Group Training Organisation recruits the apprentice or trainee paying wages, allowances, superannuation, workers compensation, sick/holiday pay and other employment benefits, manages the quality and continuity of training, both on and off the job and provides any care and support the apprentice or trainee needs to complete their training.

Sign up and lodge a training contract 

If you’ve found your apprentice or trainee through a Group Training Organisation, you’re not responsible for the training contract or training plan.  

If you found your apprentice or trainee directly, you’ll need to: 

  • agree on a qualification suitable for your workplace that also suits the apprentice or trainee 
  • complete a training contract 
  • select a registered training organisation (such as Chisholm) to deliver training or visit www.myskills.gov.au/registeredtrainers/search/ 
  • develop a training plan with the chosen registered training organisation and your apprentice or trainee.

Register the apprenticeship or trainee 

Once you’ve completed the training contract, submit it to your local Australian Apprentices Support Network provider. They’ll lodge the completed contract with the relevant state and territory training authorities for registration. Once the registration is complete, you’ll enrol with your chosen registered training organisation (such as Chisholm) and complete a training plan, which will need to be provided to your local Australian Apprenticeships Support Network provider. 

More information 

For more information visit: 

Find out more about apprenticeships

Find out more about traineeships