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Train as an apprentice
Completing an apprenticeship is a smart choice for your future. It provides you with practical skills you can use to build a lifelong career. Plus, it offers you the opportunity to earn while you learn – working and earning a wage with an employer while you complete hands-on training and a nationally-recognised qualification.
As an apprentice you’ll combine on-the-job training from your employer with practical experience and instruction from TAFE Queensland. Learning from both your employer and TAFE Queensland’s experienced trainers will give you a well-rounded knowledge of your trade and help set you up for long-term success.
Study areas
While you might be familiar with apprenticeships in trade areas such as automotive, engineering, and building and construction, you can also complete an apprenticeship in a range of other areas including hairdressing and barbering, horticulture, commercial cookery, and baking and patisserie.
How does an apprenticeship work?
Because it involves training from both an employer and a training provider, the first step is to find an employer who’s willing to hire you as an apprentice. You’ll then both sign a training contract, a legally binding document that sets out the agreement between you and your employer to work and train together for the length of the apprenticeship.
As part of the training contract, make sure you select TAFE Queensland as your Supervising Registered Training Organisation (SRTO).
Once the paperwork is out of the way, you’ll officially start your apprenticeship, completing your trade qualification through TAFE Queensland while you work in industry putting your new skills into practice.
What does an apprenticeship cost?
As an apprentice, your employer pays your wage and in most cases also pays for your education and training, which makes an apprenticeship a valuable and cost-effective investment in your future. While your employer will generally cover your course fees and any prescribed text books, as an apprentice you may have to pay a small student contribution fee towards the cost of your training.
How is an apprenticeship different to a traineeship?
In most aspects, apprenticeships and traineeships work in much the same way. In general, apprentices are trained in a skilled trade such as plumbing, construction, or hairdressing with most apprenticeships taking between three to four years to complete. Traineeships on the other hand are more often offered in vocational areas such as business, child care or retail and generally take around one to two years to complete.
Flexible training options
During the sign-up process we‘ll discuss your options with you and your employer, so we can find the best training delivery that meets your unique needs. Available training options vary depending on the qualification type and location.
Students are trained and assessed by our workplace training officers in their own workplace.
Students can drop in to a TAFE Queensland campus at any time to train with a teacher without needing to schedule it in advance.
Training is delivered in study blocks of one to six weeks at one of our state-of-the-art training facilities.
Training is scheduled one day a week at one of TAFE Queensland’s training facilities.
We bring the tools and equipment to you in our mobile training van.
Training is provided online through either self-directed learning or in a teacher-led virtual classroom
More apprenticeship options
Pre-apprenticeship courses
Unlike traditional apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeship courses don’t require you to find an employer and are perfect if you want to test out a future career path. They’re also a great way to boost your chances of landing an apprenticeship in the industry.
Trade taster program
Not sure if you’re ready to commit to an apprenticeship? If you’re in high school, check out our trade taster program to try a trade without committing to a full qualification or apprenticeship. The best part is it’s been designed to fit around your studies.
School-based apprenticeships
If you don’t want to wait to finish school to get started, you don’t have to. With our school-based apprenticeships you get the best of both worlds – working for an employer while you complete a trade qualification and your high school studies.