Become an Apprentice

If starting out your working life or changing your career path, you may have the option of becoming an apprentice in your chosen area.

There are many sources of information and support throughout your apprenticeship. Do you want to know what you will earn, what you will have to do, what the conditions will be, or how to find an apprenticeship position? These are all great questions – everyone wants to know what they are taking on. We answer these and other questions for you here, as well as letting you know where you can find more information if you still need to know more.

What is an apprenticeship?

An Apprenticeship is a training agreement between the employer and person who is old enough to be employed in a full-time job. In NSW the apprenticeship is registered with the NSW Department of Industry and must include structured on-the-job training delivered by a training provider such as TAFE NSW. Apprenticeships offer you the best of work and study. You train on the job, study and earn an income all while working towards becoming a qualified tradesperson.

Apprenticeships take a specified time to complete and is four years in the landscape industry. Four years may seem like a long time, but remember you are working towards become fully qualified and getting hands-on experience, and you get paid for it.

So, as an apprentice you will combine work and study to obtain a trade qualification in your chosen industry. Once you have signed up as an Apprentice you will have a formal training contract (called a training plan) the details of which are determined by your employer and your training provider (usually TAFE).

Why become an apprentice?

Learning a trade is a skill for life. You can learn whilst earning a wage and at the close of your apprenticeship you are fully qualified and, in many cases, debt free! Best of all, you already have a job and your career is well underway. Landscape professionals are well paid and there is plenty of work to be had; landscaping is a government-recognised skills shortage area.

What are my working conditions and entitlements?

All employees, including apprentices, receive the same legal protections and workplace entitlements under the National Employment Standards (NES). These Standards address: maximum weekly hours, requests for flexible working arrangements, parental leave, annual leave, personal/carer’s leave and compassionate leave, community service leave, long service leave, public holidays, as well as notice of termination and redundancy pay. To learn more about the NES visit this link:

National Employment Standards

To read more specifically about Apprentice Entitlements go to:

Apprentice Entitlements

What will I earn?

Wages are determined by a number of factors:

• The age of the apprentice
• The year of training (eg 2nd Year Apprentice)
• The type of qualification you are studying
• The industry you work in.

Apprentices must be paid for the time they spend undertaking their formal training at TAFE. As part of your apprenticeship you will be required to undertake study and training, if in the Landscape Construction Industry it will be Certificate III in Landscape Construction or a Certificate III in Parks and Gardens if in the Landscape Maintenance Industry.

To learn more about these courses, visit our webpages:

Landscape Construction Careers

Landscape Maintenance Careers (Parks and Gardens)

How do I find an apprenticeship position?

There are many different ways to find an apprenticeship position, from contacting landscaping companies directly to listing yourself with apprenticeship organisations.

Through our representation at careers expos, our links to TAFE institutions, our active presence at landscaping and other expos, as well as our prominent website, we are often the first place individuals turn to in finding an apprenticeship position and we receive many calls and emails from employers looking to hire apprentices.

We can connect you with businesses looking to take on an apprentice in your area. You can fill in our ‘Apprenticeship Expression of Interest Form’ below and we will contact you shortly to discuss apprenticeship opportunities.

The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (Apprenticeship Network) is also able to assist with recruiting apprentices. To learn more about the Apprenticeship Network, see below.

Apprenticeship Expression of Interest

Registering your interest in an apprenticeship is easy. Simply fill out the form below and we will be in contact shortly.

Further information

The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network is an Australian Government initiative designed to assist both apprentices and employers with the apprenticeship process. They are able to assist with recruitment, training and retraining of apprentices. The Apprenticeship Network is an ideal place to find an apprenticeship position and to learn more about how apprenticeships work.

To find your local Apprenticeship Network or to access these services visit their website.

The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network is free of charge.

The Australian Government Fair Work Ombudsman has also produced a handy, 12-page guide to starting an apprenticeship.

Download the Guide to Starting an Apprenticeship now

You can also visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

There are companies that specialise in matching trade companies with apprentices. Contact us for details at team@landscapeassociation.com.au