The Australian Government has introduced a number of initiatives to help ease
the financial difficulties Australian Apprentices experience in the early years
of their Australian Apprenticeship, particularly in trades experiencing a skills
shortage. These initiatives provide financial support to Australian Apprentices
through the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program.
Please note, the Australian Apprenticeships website provides information on the
incentives available from the Australian Government only.
Australian
Apprenticeships Centres are responsible for determining eligibility for these
incentives. Other assistance and incentives may be available from your
State or
Territory Training Authority.
Australian Apprentices may be eligible for financial assistance through:
Eligibility for incentives under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program can be affected by the duration of the employment relationship you have had with your current employer. For more information on the eligibility of existing workers to attract incentives, please download the ‘Incentives for existing workers fact sheet’.
Australian Apprentices may be eligible for other assistance through:
There are also a number of initiatives aimed at increasing the number of Australian Apprenticeships available by providing additional financial incentives to employers. For more information about these incentives, please visit the Assistance available for employers of Australian Apprentices page.
The Tools For Your Trade payment initiative provides up to $3,800 to eligible Australian Apprentices over the life of their Australian Apprenticeship. The payment initiative is available to Australian Apprentices who meet the required eligibility and who are undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship in a trade occupation listed on the National Skills Needs List, agricultural occupation, and if in rural and regional Australian, a horticultural occupation.
Please visit the Tools For Your Trade payment page for information on this initiative.
The Support for Adult Australian Apprentices payment initiative provides financial support to Australian Apprentices or their employer where the Australian Apprentice is aged 25 or over at the commencement of their Australian Apprenticeship on or after 1 January 2010, and is completing an Australian Apprenticeship at the Certificate III or IV level in an occupation experiencing a skills shortage.
Please visit the Support for Adult Australian Apprentices page for information on this initiative.
For more information on Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY, please visit the Centrelink website.
Other assistance available for Australian Apprentices
Support is available to Australian Apprentices with disability to help them reach their full potential.
Australian Apprentices who experience difficulty with the off-the-job training component of their Australian Apprenticeship may be eligible for off-the-job tutorial, mentor and interpreter services. This form of assistance is payable to the Registered Training Organisation assisting the Australian Apprentice and may be up to $5,500 a year (inclusive of GST).
Financial assistance is available to an employer who currently employs an Australian Apprentice with disability and has been assessed as a person requiring assistance. This assistance is available through the Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support payment.
Australian Apprentices with disability are required to undergo an Occupational Assessment which must be undertaken by a medical practitioner or registered psychologist. From 1 January 2009, Australian Apprentices with disability who have a current and valid Job Capacity Assessment are not required to undergo an Occupational Assessment when they choose to use the Job Capacity Assessment to support the Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support application.
Employers of Australian Apprentices with disability may be eligible to apply for financial assistance for Workplace Modifications.
For more information, download Fact Sheet 3 – Support for Australian Apprentices with disability on the Publications page.