There are many types of apprenticeships and traineeships available in Australia, enabling people from a variety of backgrounds to gain the qualifications they need to pursue their dream career.
Adult apprenticeships and traineeships are designed specifically for people aged 25 and over. For companies hoping to take on a new member of staff, an adult apprentice or trainee can provide a number of benefits.
If you would like more information on how to find an apprentice or trainee for your organisation, Apprenticeship Central offers valuable advice, industry resource packages and a comprehensive search function to match employers with candidates.
Here are just some of the reasons why you may want to select an adult apprentice or trainee.
More experienced: Older candidates typically have previous work experience, albeit this is usually in a different industry. Nevertheless, they should have transferrable skills picked up from previous jobs that can be put to good use during their training and beyond.
Reliable: Organisations often report that adult apprentices and trainees are particularly dedicated to obtaining their qualification. They may already have financial or family commitments that make completing a placement especially important.
Government aid: The Support for Adult Australian Apprentices initiative offers eligible employers financial incentives for hiring apprentices and trainees aged 25 and over. One of the stipulations is the candidate must be training towards a Certificate III or IV qualification that leads to an occupation on the National Skills Needs List.
Quick to learn: You may find adult apprentices and trainees rapidly pick up new skills due to their previous experience in the workplace. This can save a significant amount of time and effort when training people, which could enable them to earn their qualification quicker.
Leadership potential: While all apprentices and trainees, regardless of age, may exhibit leadership potential, older candidates may have an advantage in this area. Not only are they likely to have developed more sophisticated interpersonal relationship skills in the workplace, they may even have existing management experience.
Set a good example: Older employees may prove a useful role model for younger apprentices and trainees, helping improve productivity across the whole department. In some cases, an adult apprentice could even act as an informal mentor to people who are just beginning on-the-job training.
