Apprentices and trainees are employees undertaking formal training arrangements under a training contract registered with the Apprenticeship Office at the Department of Training and Workforce Development.
Traineeships can be undertaken on a full time, part time or school-based basis. Apprenticeships can be undertaken on a full time or part time basis. Casual workers are not eligible to enter into a training contract for a traineeship or an apprenticeship.
In the WA state industrial relations system an employer is required to pay an apprentice or trainee for time spent at TAFE (or other off the job training) as normal working hours. An employer is not required to pay TAFE fees on behalf of the apprentice / trainee.
Pay rates for apprentices and trainees
There are specific pay rates for apprentices and trainees in the WA state industrial relations system. Many apprentices and trainees are covered by a WA award, and apprentices and trainees who are not covered by a WA award or an industrial agreement must be paid the relevant minimum apprentice or trainee pay rate.
Where a WA award does do not contain specific classifications / pay rates for apprentices or trainees working in the relevant industry, the apprentice or trainee is not covered by the WA award and is award free.
For apprentices, the pay rate for an apprentice will depend on the term (length) of the apprenticeship and which year of the apprenticeship the apprentice is currently undertaking as well as the apprentice’s age. An adult apprentice (21 years of age or older) must be paid the adult apprentice rate, or the apprentice pay rate for the relevant year of their apprenticeship, whichever is higher.
For trainees, the minimum pay rates for award free trainees are based on the Industry/Skill Level of the traineeship being undertaken, and if the employee is a junior employee (under 21 years of age) the highest level of schooling the registered trainee has completed, and how long they have been out of school.
For specific pay rates for apprentices and trainees:
- Check whether a WA award applies on WA awards for common jobs, and then check the relevant WA award summary for apprentice and trainee pay rates; or
- View the Award free minimum pay rates and entitlements summary which outlines the current minimum rates of pay for award free apprentices and trainees.
Where an employee is new to, or learning a job, but is not a registered trainee working under a training contract, they must be paid the appropriate WA award rate of pay (or minimum rate of pay if award free) for the work they are doing. Such employees may be referred to in many businesses as ‘trainees’ but if they are not registered trainees the pay rates and employment arrangements discussed on this page do not apply.
Training contract information
The Apprenticeship Office at the Department of Training and Workforce Development can provide information about:
- assessment and registration of a training contract
- obligations under a training contract
- completion of a training contract
- variations to a training contract (including cancellation, suspension or termination of the contract)
