Wages & Assistance

Both the Australian and State Governments provide various incentives, allowances and subsidies to both you and your employer to assist you in completing your apprenticeship or traineeship.

This page contains information on the following:

• Wages
• Financial support for apprentices and trainees
• Financial support for your employer

Wages

The great thing about undertaking an Australian School-based apprenticeship or traineeship is that you receive a wage and a nationally recognised qualification, whilst still a school.

As an Australian School-based apprentice or trainee you will generally be paid an Australian School-based training wage for the time that you spend in productive work.

• You will receive a loaded hourly rate, as you are not paid for holidays, sick days or leave loading
• You will not usually be paid for time spent undertaking college or off-the-job training
• Your wage will be dependant on your Year level at school and will usually increase going from Year 11 to Year 12
• For specific wage information, contact your employer or
  Fair Work on 13 13 94

When requesting information from Fair Work make sure that you tell the consultant that you require Australian School-based wage information and provide them with your school Year level and the type of Apprenticeship or traineeship you are undertaking.

How your wages are determined

Wages for Australian School-based apprenticeships and traineeships vary across qualifications and are determined by a number of industrial relations instruments including:

• State or Federal Awards - regulate the terms and conditions of your employment, as well as outlining you and your employer’s responsibilities. Your award coverage may be specific to an industry, a single employer, a specific class of employers or a specific class of employees.
• State or Federal Certified Agreements - Certified Agreements are collective agreements between employers and the union/s or between an employer and their employees.
• Queensland or Australian Workplace Agreements - Workplace Agreements are negotiated between an employer and an individual employee or an employer and an individual group of employees who have some common denominator.

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Financial Support available for apprentices and trainees

Both the Australian and Queensland Governments provide various incentives, allowances and subsidies to assist you in completing your Australian School-based apprenticeship or traineeship.

Australian Government Incentives

• Assistance for apprentices and trainees with a disability

You and your employer may be eligible to receive financial assistance if you:

• have a disability which impacts on your day to day work
• cannot wholly address your disability through medication or self management
• have not used this assistance programme before (some exceptions apply)
• meet the normal eligibility guidelines for Australian Government assistance

Financial Assistance includes:

Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support
(DAAWS)

up to $114.73/wk*

Workplace Modifications

up to $5,000

Tutorial Assistance

up to $5,500*

Mentor or Interpreter Assistance

up to $6,000*

* Includes GST

Queensland Government Funding

Start-up Assistance for apprentices and trainees
A reimbursement of up to $300* is available to an apprentice or trainee who is employed in an identified skills shortage industry. The assistance is for the purchase of specialised equipment such as necessary tools and protective equipment (excluding uniforms), where a tool allowance is not traditionally provided by the employer.

Travel and Accommodation Allowances for apprentices and trainees.
Apprentices and trainees who have to travel more than 50kms (one-way) to attend courses in relation to their training program may be eligible for a travel and accommodation allowance.

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Financial Support available for your Employer

Both the Australian and Queensland Governments provide various incentives, allowances and subsidies to assist and encourage employers to train School-based Apprentices and Trainees .

Australian Government Incentives

Commencement Incentive

$1,250 or $1,500

Innovation incentive

$1,100

Australian School-based Commencement Incentive

$750

Declared Drought Areas Commencement Incentive

$1,500

Completion Incentive

$2,500

Australian School-based Retention Incentive

$750

Declared Drought Areas Completion Incentive

$1,500

* Includes GST

Click here for more detailed information on Australian Government employer incentives and allowances.

Queensland Government Funding

The Queensland Government also provides subsidies, incentives and allowances for apprentices and trainees, including:

Subsidised Training

Payroll Tax Exemptions

Youth Training Incentive

Up to $4,000*

Strategic Employment Development Program

Up to $2,200*

Building and Construction Industry Training Fund

Up to $7,000*

* Includes GST

Click here for more detailed information.

Feedback - Send your questions or feedback click here

Note: Incentives and allowances available from the Australian Government and Queensland Government can be varied without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the above information as at the effect date. Eligibility criteria apply to all incentives and allowances. For the latest information, please contact Queensland Apprenticeship Services on 1300 360 955.

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