How to apply to be an approved employer
Apprentice Connect Australia Providers administer the process of hiring apprentices or trainees. We need to approve you as an employer so that you can sign a training contract with an apprentice or trainee.
You need to complete and sign the VRQA Fit and Proper Employer Declaration form. Give it to your Apprentice Connect Australia Provider.
How do we approve employers?
When we approve employers, we consider:
- the employer’s premises
- the equipment and methods used for training
- whether any person supervising training:
- has the appropriate qualifications, knowledge, and skills
- is a fit and proper person to train apprentices or trainees.
- whether the employer is a fit and proper person to employ an apprentice or trainee.
The VRQA Employer approval process has more details on our approval process.
You can employ an unlimited number of apprentices or trainees if you meet VRQA conditions in:
- your approved industry or
- a grouping of related qualifications within a specific industry or field of study.
You need to go through the approval process again to employ apprentices or trainees in a different industry. We cannot assume employers will comply with our requirements in the new industry.
If you haven’t employed an apprentice or trainee for 5 years, we write to you to determine if you are still an employer. We cancel the approval of inactive employers.
How to employ an apprentice or trainee
You can find out how to employ an apprentice or trainee from Apprenticeships Victoria(opens in a new window).
You can also contact an Apprentice Connect Australia Provider.
More information about hiring an apprentice is available from Australian Apprentices(opens in a new window).
Signing a training contract
You are responsible for ensuring apprentices and trainees receive the correct training.
If you employ an apprentice or trainee, you must agree to their training plan and sign a training contract. It is your responsibility to make sure the training contract is signed within 14 days of an apprentice or trainee commencing.
The training contract will include:
- what type of training the apprentice or trainee will complete,
- who the registered training organisation (RTO) is
- what qualification they will receive when they finish.
You will also agree to a training plan that includes the formal and on-the-job training you will provide so they can learn their trade or occupation.
You can find more information about training contracts.
Wages and conditions
You can find out about wages and conditions for apprentices and trainees from the Fair Work Ombudsman(opens in a new window).
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