Not every apprenticeship goes to plan. Maybe the work isn't what you expected, you're not getting proper training, you clash with your employer, or you've realised the trade just isn't for you. Whatever the reason, feeling stuck doesn't mean you actually are. You have real options — and often the best move is nowhere near as drastic as quitting for good.
This guide walks through what to do when things aren't working: how to figure out the real problem, what your choices are, and where to get help before you make a big decision you can't undo.
First, work out what's actually wrong
Before you do anything, get honest with yourself about the real issue. "I hate my apprenticeship" usually breaks down into something more specific — and different problems have very different solutions.
Ask yourself:
- Is it the employer, or the trade? A bad boss or toxic site is very different from realising the trade itself isn't for you.
- Is it fixable? Poor training, pay problems or a personality clash can often be sorted. A fundamental "this isn't me" is different.
- Is it a rough patch or a real pattern? First year is hard for almost everyone. Being tired, broke and bottom of the pecking order is normal early on and often eases.
- Am I contributing to it? Sometimes reliability, attitude or communication issues are part of the picture. Worth an honest look — read why good apprentices lose their jobs.
Naming the actual problem tells you which door to take next.
Option 1: fix it where you are
If the problem is fixable, the least disruptive option is to sort it out with your current employer. You keep your training progress, your relationships and your momentum.
Start with a straight conversation. If it's about training, pay, hours or a clash, read talking to your boss about problems for how to raise it well. If it's bullying or mistreatment, read dealing with bullying on site.
Your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) provider can also mediate. They helped set up your training contract, they check in on your progress, and part of their job is helping resolve issues so apprenticeships don't fall over. A call to them costs you nothing.
Option 2: change employers, keep the trade
If the problem is the employer — not the trade — you don't have to start over. You can transfer your apprenticeship to a new employer and pick up where you left off, carrying your completed training with you.
This means your time and progress aren't wasted; a new employer takes over your existing training contract. It does take some paperwork through your AASN provider and state training authority, but it's a well-worn path. Read moving between employers mid-apprenticeship for the detail, and browse apprenticeship jobs to see what's out there.
If you were placed through a group training organisation, this is often even simpler — the GTO can rotate you to a different host business. See how group training organisations work.
Option 3: pause, if life's got in the way
Sometimes the issue isn't the job at all — it's an injury, a health problem, or personal circumstances making it impossible to keep going right now. In that case, cancelling isn't your only choice.
Training contracts can often be suspended (paused) and then resumed later, with your end date extended. This is common after a serious injury or workers compensation claim — see what to do if you're injured at work. Talk to your AASN provider about suspending rather than cancelling, so you don't throw away the progress you've made.
Option 4: change trades or cancel
If you've genuinely realised this trade isn't for you, that's OK — better to know at 18 or 19 than a decade in. But do it deliberately, not in a heated moment.
Your training contract can be cancelled through your state training authority, usually by agreement between you and your employer, or through a formal process. Before you pull the pin:
- Check whether your skills transfer. Some units credit toward a related trade, so switching may be less of a reset than you think. Read how to choose the right trade.
- Line up your next move first if you can. Quitting with nothing to go to is stressful and hard on your finances.
- Understand the contract side. Read apprenticeship contracts and probation explained so you know how cancellation works.
Watch the money and the paperwork
Big changes have money and admin consequences, so go in with your eyes open:
- Check your final pay, leave payout and any tool allowances you're owed — the Wage Calculator helps you sanity-check the numbers.
- Return company gear and vehicles properly to avoid disputes — see looking after company vehicles and equipment.
- If you leave on decent terms, you keep a reference. Don't burn bridges — the trade is a small world and reputations follow you.
If you think you've been underpaid or treated unfairly on the way out, read what to do if you're being underpaid and get free advice from the Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au).
Look after yourself through it
A struggling apprenticeship can weigh heavily — money stress, uncertainty and feeling like you've failed. You haven't. Loads of successful tradies had a false start or changed direction early. If it's dragging you down, talk to someone: Lifeline (13 11 14) and Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) are free and confidential, and there's more in mental health support for apprentices.
Key takeaways
- Work out the real problem first — the employer, the trade, life circumstances, or a rough patch that'll pass.
- If it's fixable, sort it where you are — talk to your boss and lean on your AASN provider.
- If it's the employer, transfer to a new one and keep your training progress instead of starting over.
- Injuries and life events can often pause (suspend) your contract rather than end it.
- If you're changing trades or cancelling, do it deliberately, sort your pay and gear, and don't burn bridges.