The conditions of employment for apprentices and trainees, when on the job, are outlined in the relevant award or agreement applicable to your workplace or situation.
Unless otherwise stated, you will receive the same employment conditions, including hours of work, overtime, holidays, sick leave, superannuation and other allowances, as other employees in your job.
The Industrial Relations Act 1999 (PDF, 1.9MB) defines "supervised training" as all training, up to the maximum period required to be delivered by a supervising registered training organisation during the apprenticeship or traineeship. Each apprenticeship or traineeship is linked to an approved qualification. Supervised training, for the approved qualification can be undertaken by any means. It could be block release, workplace delivery, on line learning, video link and completing workbooks or correspondence papers or any other method. It can be undertaken by an apprentice or trainee at a college, at work, at home or some other venue. It can be supervised by a trainer from the supervising registered training organisation, or by the employer acting on behalf of the training organisation.
You must be paid for the time you spend undertaking supervised training arranged by your supervised registered training organisation. This does not apply to school-based apprentices and trainees. You are entitled to be paid for:
Example:
A trainee is required to work 38 ordinary hours a week under an award. In a particular week, the trainee spends 30 hours working for the employer and 10 hours at college. The trainee is entitled to be paid 38 hours ordinary time (which includes 10 hours ordinary time for the time spent at college) and 2 hours overtime.
For some apprenticeships (including part-time and school-based apprentices), employers must provide their apprentices with:
The Order for Supply of Tools to Apprentices (PDF, 24 kB) sets out the tool allowances during each year of the apprenticeship term. Employers are required to supply tools of the trade to a stated retail value as provided for in this Order.
Example:
Apprenticeship Calling |
Total retail value of tools $ |
Annual retail value of tools $ |
Nominal Term of Apprenticeship |
| Hairdressing (Ladies) |
520.00 |
130.00 |
4 |
In some instances, an industrial instrument 
may state the particular types of tools to be provided as well as the circumstances in which tools and/or tool allowances must be provided.
If you are a trainee, you are not eligible for a tool allowance.
Below are the most recent amendments to the Order.
Effective Date |
Amendment |
Published/Gazettal Date |
| 24 March 2006 | Apprenticeship Calling - Group 1 - Waterproofing | 7 April 2006 |
1 September 2003 |
Apprenticeship Calling - Group 1 - Cabinetmaking Apprenticeship Calling - Group 1 - Wood Machining |
27 June 2003 |
The Queensland Government also offers up to $300 in start-up assistance for eligible apprentices and trainees. This is to help an apprentice buy equipment such as tools and protective equipment (not uniforms). For more information about start-up assistance, telephone the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts on 1300 369 925 or visit their Funding and incentives section of their website.
The Federal Government's "The Tools for Your Trade Initiative" 
is an additional incentive targeted to New Apprentices. Tools received under the Tools for Your Trade initiative are not to affect or displace any tool allowance received as part of an award, or any private arrangement between the employer and the New Apprentice for the provision of tools.
An an apprentice or trainee, you are entitled to worker's compensation in the same way as other employees. for more information visit the WorkCover Queensland website or phone 1300 362 128.
Employers must pay superannuation into an approved fund for you, as they would for any other employee. If you are under 18 years of age and not working more than 30 hours a week, your employer may not need to pay superannuation for you.
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© The State of Queensland (Department of Employment and Industrial Relations) 2006
IRIS award service 