BECOMING An EMPLOYER OF apprentices

To become an employer of Apprentices, the business must first register their interest with the South Australian Skills Commission. This can be done on their website at Hire a Skilled Worker | Register to employ an apprentice or trainee.

Through this page you should find a link to the ATLAS Portal, where you can request a username and password under Request Access. Note this can take up to two business days.

Once the employer receives their login details, they can complete their employer registration application via the Login into Atlas.

The ATLAS Portal will provide access to

·         Registering your business

·         Renewing business registration

·         Updating details

·         Viewing trainee and apprentice training contract details

·         Requesting changes to a training contract

Required Skills for Employer Registration

Before a training contract can be entered into, employers must be deemed competent. This is a two step process by the Skills Commission, who will determine the adequacy of both the business and the nominated supervisor. The Skills Commission will assess the following

1. The business has the correct licence to undertake works proposed in the training contract. Primarily, the employer taking on a landscape apprentice shall be licenced to perform at least retaining walls, paving and stormwater LTD to 90 mm.
2. The supervisor who supports the apprentice has the appropriate experience and at least one of the following qualifications:

• Occupational (Trade) Recognition Certificate
• Certificate III in Landscape Construction (inclusive of RPL process)
• Certificate III in a Vocational Educational Training (VET) course in either CPC (plumbing) or AHC (landscape/horticulture), and has a minimum one year of experience in Landscape Construction, during which they were responsible for the quality of their own work under routine supervision.

Training Contract

Apprentice Connect Australia Providers (ACAP's) are a free, nationwide service funded and supported by the Australian Government. They are the primary contact for employers and apprentices, providing support throughout the apprenticeship lifecycle, including sign-ups, mentoring, and advice on government.

Apprentice Connect Australia Providers (ACAP's) help employers do the following:

• Find trainees and apprentices
• Check eligibility for financial incentives
• Choose a training provider for the off-the-job training
• Sign the training contract.

Please find below the contact numbers and websites for the three ACAPs we have in SA:

Mas National (Mas) – 1300 627 628

Apprenticeship Support Australia (ASA) - 1300 363 831

SYC | Australian Apprenticeship Support Services - 1300 792 323

Managing an Apprentice

When hiring an apprentice, the employer will enter into a training contract, which is a legally binding agreement.

They will be required to:

·         provide employment and training for the term of the contract

·         provide their apprentice with appropriate supervision at all times

·         release their apprentice and pay them while they undertake relevant training and assessment

·         comply with relevant South Australian Skills Standards

·         comply with the wages and conditions in the relevant industrial award or agreement

·         comply with other relevant legislation such as the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.

Visit this link to view an online resource to help in Understanding your employer obligations.