Blog

Taking up an apprenticeship is a great way to start off in the career of your choice. Considering that you get paid while you are trained and still learning, apprentice wages are quite decent. Apprenticeships combine work with structure training and this means that you get to gain the knowledge and skills that you require while being paid for the work that you do.

Apprentice wages will generally be determined by:

• The level of qualification you have attained – this means that you are likely to earn higher apprentice wages as you progress through the different levels of your apprenticeship.
• The year of training you are in – what you get paid in your third year of apprenticeship tends to be more than what you get when you are just starting off.
• The industry in which you are taking your apprenticeship – different industries pay different rates of wages. This may even get better if you work in an industry that is faced with skills shortage as the pay is likely to be higher.
• Previous skills that you may have acquired prior to your apprenticeship. If you have skills that are relevant to the apprenticeship you are interested in, then chances are that you will be paid higher apprentice wages as compared to someone else that does not have any skills.
• The type of apprenticeship that you are undertaking – this may either be a school based, part-time or full- time apprenticeship. You have the option of choosing that which you consider to be the best for you.

In addition to the apprentice wages that you will receive, you will also be entitled to overtime and other allowances such as a tool allowance. With tool allowance, you will be able to buy the tools that you need to use during your apprenticeship.
To ensure that you take home the right apprentice wages, there is a set minimum wage that is to be paid to any apprentice.  This will be specified by the National Training Wage Award or the relevant Industry Award in your state.