Your award covers much more than your hourly rate. These are the entitlements every Australian apprentice should know about.
What your award covers
- Paid training time — time spent at TAFE or your RTO counts as paid work time, and course fees are often reimbursable once you pass (check your award).
- Tool allowance — many trade awards pay a weekly tool allowance if you supply your own tools.
- Overtime and penalty rates — apprentices get overtime, weekend and public holiday rates like everyone else.
- Superannuation — if you're over 18 (or under 18 working 30+ hours a week), your employer must pay super on top of wages.
- Leave — full-time apprentices accrue 4 weeks of annual leave and 10 days of personal/carer's leave a year, plus public holidays.
Competency-based progression
Many awards let you move up a pay level when you've achieved the required competencies — not just after 12 months. If you're ahead of schedule at trade school, ask your employer and RTO about progressing early.
Where to verify
Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's P.A.C.T. calculator for rates, and read your award's apprentice clauses on the Fair Work awards page. Your training contract (registered with your state training authority) also sets out obligations both ways.