When someone says ‘the best things in life are free’ they’re probably not talking about how over here at BUSY At Work, we help you hire an apprentice or trainee at no cost. Regardless, the point of the proverb remains pertinent and sometimes one of the barriers stopping your business taking on an apprentice or trainee is the cost.
While employing an apprentice or trainee is a smart, long-term investment, sometimes the short-term costs can be tough to overlook.
This is where BUSY comes in. Not only do we help you every step of the way (for free), we also help you figure out what government incentives you can apply for and how much funding you’re entitled to.
1. Recruitment and admin costs
One of the most expensive parts of hiring any new person is the time, energy and resources you need to invest into finding the perfect person. Recruitment and admin costs are probably one of the largest deterrence’s in employing someone new, so here at BUSY we minimise it as much as possible.
We do all the work when it comes to advertising and finding a candidate for your position. We post your vacancy for free on Apprenticeship Central (the only job site dedicated to apprenticeships in Australia) so you don’t need to pay extra to advertise your position. Plus, once we’ve posted your vacancy, we’ll complete the pre-screening and testing and provide you with an interview shortlist. This way, you won’t be chatting to anyone who isn’t worth your time.
2. Wages, superannuation and benefits
The most obvious cost comes in the form of pay cheques- apprentices and trainees are paid a wage. Exactly how much they earn depends on things like what year of training they’re in, what type of apprenticeship qualification they’re undertaking and the industry or occupation.
This can be tricky if your business simply doesn’t have enough work (maybe during a slow period of the year) to support taking on an apprentice. Luckily, this doesn’t mean you and your apprentice can’t learn and earn and there’s still ways for your business to participate in the apprenticeships system. There’s options like hosting an apprentice for a short stint, or sharing an apprentice with another business, that the experts at BUSY can talk you through.
Apprentices also have the same rights as other workers when it comes to superannuation, workers’ compensation and other entitlements, so make sure you’re aware of your legal obligations before you take on a trainee or apprentice. If you’re confused, check out fairwork.gov.au
3. Incentives
There’s a range of financial assistance and incentives to help you out if you want to take on a trainee or apprentice. Depending on certain criteria, you might be able to apply for more than one form of support.
Every year, tens of thousands of employers of Australian Apprentices received incentive payments from the Australian and state government, so it’s worth having a look at what you’re entitled to if you take on a trainee or apprentice.
Incentives and funding depend on things like the age of your apprentice, whether your apprentice has disability, whether your apprentice identifies as an Indigenous Australia or whether the trade is experiencing a skills shortage.
Because there are so many factors, and dollar amounts can vary, it’s worth coming to talk to us at BUSY to find out what you can apply for. We’ll get to know your business and figure out what incentives may apply to you.
There also might be more funding available for employers outside the Apprenticeships Incentive Program and we’ll help you out with that as well by providing you the most reliable advice for your industry. Plus, we’ll give you a hand with the paperwork, so you don’t get bogged down filling in forms.
It’s definitely worth looking into and with the services of BUSY being free, you really have nothing to lose. You can head here to have a look at some of the financial assistance available.
If you want to learn more about minimising the cost of taking on an apprentice or trainee, or you want to find out about what government incentives you’re entitled to, contact us on 13 BUSY (13 28 79) or 0421 268 884 (text only).
