Apprentices and Trainees

If you are new to the construction industry as an apprentice or trainee there are some things you need to know.

Apprentices and trainees have the same rights as other workers to a safe and healthy work environment and decent pay and conditions. The one significant difference is the contract of training you are employed under.

• What is a contract of training
• Your rights on the job as an apprentice or trainee
• How to join the CFMEU
• Information about training
• How to get in contact with us

What is a Contract of Training?

A contract of training is a legally binding agreement between you and your employer. The contract of training provides you with the certainty of employment and training in your chosen occupation. It is an agreement where your employer must provide you with on-the-job training, and release you for off-the-job classroom training to a TAFE college or other approved training provider. In return, the apprentice and trainee rates of pay are significantly lower than that of fully qualified trades people and skilled workers.

1. The indentured apprenticeship: This is a binding (generally four year agreement) between an apprentice and his/her "master" or employer. The indenture system is hundreds of years old and its great advantage is that it is almost impossible for the employer to cancel the contract of training. However, its lack of flexibility has meant that employers have increasingly moved away from "indenture" to the more flexible "trainee apprenticeship".
2. The trainee apprenticeship: Increasingly, apprentices in the industry are being engaged under an apprentice traineeship. This contract of training is less rigid than a traditional indenture, but is still more secure than the normal contract of employment. Most apprentices employed under a group apprenticeship scheme come under this model.
3. The non-trade traineeship: These traineeships are increasingly being offered in areas that have not traditionally been classified as "trades". In the construction industry, there are trainees in areas such as plant operating (that is, operating heavy construction machinery), steel-fixing and materials handling (crane related operations). Whilst these traineeships provide skilled workers they are generally shorter in duration than trade apprenticeships and job opportunities are probably more limited than broad-based traditional trade.

Your Rights on the Job as an Apprentice or Trainee

• You have the right to a safe and healthy work environment and decent amenities (toilets, lunch room etc).
• You have the right to join the union and to be represented by union officials.
• You have the right to be trained and not just used as cheap labour. Where it is a provision of your contract of training, the employer must release you for off-the-job training.
• You have the right not to be victimised or 'bastardised' on the job. Sometimes the treatment of apprentices and trainees goes beyond a joke. If this is the case, the union will stand up for you.
• You have the right to basic industrial standards such as sick leave and holiday pay.
• On unionised jobs you may be entitled to additional payments such as site allowance, productivity allowance and redundancy pay.
• If you have been under-paid, you have the same right to recover that money as any other worker.

How to join the union

If you are not already a member of the CFMEU, you should join up. Apprentices and trainees pay reduced rates and still enjoy the full benefits of belonging to the union. As well as having the CFMEU represent your interests when it comes to wages and conditions you will find that your branch can help in other ways.

Some Branches have facilities for you to join on line. Others will send you an application form on request. Go to our How to Join page, select your State Branch and follow the prompts for joining that Branch.

More Information about Training:

• Training Agenda
• Training Packages
• CFMEU Training Centres
• Group Training State Associations
• Jobs with a Future: a CFMEU discussion paper on opportunities for Australian young people in the construction
industry.

The delivery of training in the Australian construction industry has been undergoing a process of reform for the last decade. This recognises the skills base of the industry was being seriously depleted, posing a threat to the future quality of construction projects.

• the predominance of small business
• the cyclical nature of the industry
• a strong focus on trade training
• non-availability of non-trade training
• low investment in skill formation

• the development of an industry training framework by the tri-partite industry training body, Construction Training Australia
• the development and delivery of courses for "non-trade" areas which have traditionally never had access to formal training, for example plant and machinery operators
• the reform and streamlining of existing trade training
• the introduction of training levies and other revenue raising initiatives aimed at training
• the active promotion of group training schemes, traineeships and other ideas designed to speed up the access of young people to the industry
• the formation of union training companies (sometimes in partnership with employers) to supplement state training provision

The industry training agenda is an attempt to ensure the quality of future Australian construction projects and the job security of Australian construction workers.

Nowadays, it's easier than ever for skilled people to have their competence recognised.

There have been major changes in recent years to 'training' and 'apprenticeships'. For skilled people it means you can have your current competence assessed against the national industry competency standards. You might get a nationally recognised certificate (at the trade level or higher) with little or no extra training. This doesn't just look good on your CV. It opens up new career opportunities for you, and makes it easier to do more training.

There are plenty of ways to find an apprenticeship in the building and construction industry

Ask friends, family, people you know

Lots of employers find the apprentice they want - and apprentices find the employer they want - by asking people they know.

Contact your union training centre

CFMEU Branches have registered as private training providers or entered into joint ventures to provide essential training for members. These centres and their contact numbers are:

• ACT: CITEA, Construction Industry Training and Employment Association Contact: Garry Guy ph (02) 6257 8244
• NSW: Comet Training 6-8 Railway Street Lidcombe; Contact: Raymond Harty ph: (02) 9748 8220 or Website:http://www.comet-training.com.au
• Qld: Construction Workers Training Unit Contact: Jason Stein ph: (07) 3236 2355
• Qld: Construction Skills Training Centre Contact: John Christian ph: (07) 3236 2139 or Website: http://www.cstc.org.au/
• SA: Construction Industry Training Centre Inc. Contact: Harry Ennis ph: (08) 8410 4484 or Website: http://www.citc.com.au
• VIC: CFMEU Training Unit Contact: Anne Duggan ph: (03) 9341 3419 or Website: http://www.cfmeuvic.com.au/
• WA: Construction Skills Centre Contact: George Gear ph: (08) 9358 6501 or Website: http://www.cstc.com.au

Job Network is a national network of more than 300 private, community and government organisations dedicated to getting unemployed people, particularly long-term unemployed people, into jobs.

Call the Job Network information line on 1300 363 365 to get details of your local Job Network member.

Group training companies are the biggest employers of apprentices and trainees in Australia. The company employs the apprentice for the whole apprenticeship, then hires them out for short or long periods to employers who don't have the capacity to have their own apprentices.

• find it difficult to commit to employing an apprentice or trainee for the entire training period
• have a narrow range of work, so cannot provide the range of experience required by the apprenticeship or traineeship
• prefer an agent to manage their employment and training responsibilities eg, recruitment and payroll.

Group training is also handy for apprentices. They might work for several different employers and so have a wider range of work experience.

GTA (ACT)
Secretary: Mr John Garrett
Frencham Street DOWNER ACT 2602
PO Box 580 DICKSON ACT 2602
Tel: (02) 6241 2969 Fax: (02) 6241 2631

GTA of NSW (Inc)
Executive Officer: Mr Gerry McLean
Suite 15/50-52 Urunga Pde MIRANDA NSW 2228
Tel: (02) 9525 9263 Fax: (02) 9525 9328 Mobile: 0417 211 351
E-mail: gtansw@bigpond.com

GTA-QLD&NT Inc
Executive Officer: Mr Dave Mitchell
75-77 Russell Street WEST END QLD
PO Box 5562 WEST END QLD 4101
Tel: (07) 3844 3444 Fax: (07) 3844 3044
E-mail: gtaqnt@squirrel.com.au

GTA - (SA) Inc
Manager: M Robynne Hart
PO Box 35 MARLESTON SA 5033
Tel: (08) 8293 8215 Fax: (08) 8293 8517 Mobile: 0411 641 064
E-mail: group.training@adelaide.on.net

GTA - Tasmania Inc
Secretary: Ms Traycee Powell
C/- Island State Group Employment
Mitchell Building, 71 Letitia Street NORTH HOBART TAS 7000
Tel: (03) 6231 9101 Fax: (03) 6231 9102
E-mail: consultants@isge.com.au

GTA - Victoria Inc
Executive Officer: Mr John Glover
36-44 Cambridge St COLLINGWOOD VIC 3066
Tel: (03) 9419 3844 Fax: (03) 9419 3889
E-mail: staff@gtavic.asn.au

GTA - WA
Executive Officer: Ms Linda Deval
Level 1, 175 Hay Street EAST PERTH WA
PO Box 6830 EAST PERTH WA 6892
Tel: (08) 9421 1822 Fax: (08) 9421 1322 Mobile: 015 803 494
E-mail: gtawa@rts.com.au

How to get in contact with us

United we bargain - Divided we beg.

Contact the National Office, Construction Division at:
Level 12, 276 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Ph: 02 8524 5800
Fax: 02 8524 5801
Email: queries@fed.cfmeu.asn.au

Postal address: PO Box Q235, Queen Victoria Building Post Office, Sydney NSW 1230.