Practical guide · All states · 2026

How to Find an Apprenticeship in Australia

Finding an apprenticeship can be frustrating — most opportunities aren't advertised on job boards, and the information online tends to be vague. Here's how the system actually works, and what genuinely gives you the best chance.

The reality most guides don't tell you

The majority of apprentices get their start through a direct approach to an employer — walking in, calling, or following up after an informal introduction. Job boards are useful but represent a small fraction of actual hiring. Personal persistence matters more than any platform.

Six pathways that actually work

Australian Apprenticeships Support Network (AASN)

The AASN is a network of government-funded providers who help match apprentices with employers and administer the formal training contract. Visit skills.edu.au to find your local AASN provider. They can actively refer you to employers who are looking for apprentices in your trade and region — particularly useful if you don't already have contacts in the industry.

Group Training Organisations (GTOs)

GTOs employ apprentices directly and host them with different host businesses throughout your training. The key advantage: if your host employer can't continue (business closure, slowdown), the GTO finds you another host — your training contract stays intact. GTOs are particularly strong in electrical, plumbing, and construction. Search "group training organisation [your state]" to find ones operating in your trade.

Direct employer applications

Most apprentices are hired by going direct to employers — walking into a business, dropping a resume, and following up. For electrical, target licensed electrical contractors. For plumbing, licensed plumbing businesses. For carpentry, building companies and cabinet makers. Small-to-medium businesses hire more apprentices than large ones. Show up, be persistent. A second visit a week later is not annoying — it's showing initiative.

TAFE pre-apprenticeship courses

A pre-apprenticeship (also called a Certificate II in some trades) is a 6–12 month course that gives you foundational trade skills before you're employed. Completing one makes you a significantly stronger candidate because employers know you understand what the work involves. TAFEs often have employer networks and will refer strong students directly. It's also the only way to try a trade before committing to a 3–4 year apprenticeship.

Job boards and trade-specific sites

Seek and Indeed list apprenticeship roles, though they represent a minority of actual opportunities. TradesMutt is specific to the trades sector. Industry body websites — NECA (electrical), Master Plumbers, HIA (housing), Master Builders — often list opportunities from member employers who are signed up to proper award conditions.

Industry associations and school pathways

If you're still in school, speak to your career advisor about school-based apprenticeship pathways — you can start an apprenticeship while finishing Year 11 or 12 in most states. Industry associations like NECA and HIA run apprenticeship intake programs. State training authorities also run periodic intake rounds, particularly for trades with skill shortages.

What to expect once you're taken on

Most apprenticeships begin with a probationary period — typically 30 to 90 days. During this period, either party can end the arrangement without formal consequences. After probation, the apprenticeship is a formal training contract registered with your state training authority. It can still be cancelled, but there's a formal process.

Your training contract will specify your trade, your employer, your RTO or TAFE, and the expected duration of your apprenticeship. Keep a copy. Your AASN provider holds another copy. This document is your protection.

Know what you're owed before you start

Before you sign anything, make sure you understand your minimum pay entitlements. A Year 1 electrical apprentice is entitled to $14.43/hr (junior) or $24.10/hr (adult). These are legally enforceable minimums. Many apprentices don't find out they've been underpaid until years in.

See full apprentice entitlements — including the $10,000 AAIP and $25,983 Trade Support Loan that most apprentices miss out on because nobody tells them to apply.

Join the register

Apprentice Register is building the platform that gives apprentices — before they start, during training, and when they're done — everything they need to make informed decisions about their trade and their career.

Join the register →