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New incentives for Agricultural and Horticultural Australian Apprentices

What is it?

A package of assistance worth $47.7 million to encourage workers back into the agricultural and horticultural industries.

Who will benefit?

You will benefit from this initiative if you are completing an apprenticeship in agriculture or horticulture.

These would include apprenticeships in:

• Livestock production;
• Farm management;
• Crop production;
• Landscaping;
• Irrigation;
• Plant and tree cultivation; or
• Classing wool, to name a few.

To be eligible, you must be undertaking an apprenticeship in any Certificate level II, III or IV qualification in agriculture across all of Australia.

As a horticultural apprentice, you must be undertaking training in any Certificate level II, III or IV qualification in horticulture in rural and regional areas of Australia.

What is a Certificate level qualification?

A Certificate level qualification is a level of study. For example, in Wool Classing you can do a Certificate level II in Wool Handling, a Certificate level III in Advanced Wool Handling, and a Certificate level IV in Wool Classing.

• A Certificate II is normally an intermediate level, which will provide you with skills to enter the workforce.

• The Certificate III will qualify you to work as a tradesperson.

• A Certificate IV is a post-trade qualification that provides you with additional skills to do your job.

If you have any concerns, you should check your Training Contract or contact your local Australian Apprenticeships Centre (this is the Centre that helped you to sign you up to your training contract).

If you haven’t yet signed-up to an apprenticeship, your local Australian Apprenticeships Centre will be able to help.

What will I receive?

• An $800 tool kit

As an agricultural or horticultural apprentice, you will now be able to access the Tools For Your Trade initiative, which provides a tool kit valued up to $800 to apprentices in their first year of training.

The contents of the tool kit are decided by the employer and their apprentice and are able to be purchased through one of thousands of approved tools suppliers across Australia.

• Up to $1000 to help with course fees

You will now also be able to access the $1,000 Apprenticeship Training (Fee) Voucher that was announced in this year’s Budget.

This Voucher enables you or your employer to seek reimbursement of course fees of up to $500 per year for each of the first and second years of an eligible Australian Apprenticeship.

How do I apply?

• Tools For Your Trade

A form will be sent to your employer by the Tools For Your Trade contractor when you become eligible.

The usual eligibility criteria for Tools For Your Trade will apply, that is, you will become eligible to receive the tool kit after the first three months of your apprenticeship. The tool kit will initially belong to your employer, however ownership will pass to you after you have completed nine months of your training.

• Apprenticeship Training (Fee) Voucher

A form and voucher will be sent to you if you are eligible for the Voucher.

The form will need to be completed and returned to the address provided, along with a receipt for the course fees that have been paid so that you or your employer can be reimbursed.

Where can I get further information?

For further information about Tools For Your Trade and the Apprenticeship Training (Fee) Voucher, you should contact your local Australian Apprenticeships Centre.

Information is also available at www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au or by phoning the Australian Apprenticeships referral line on 13 38 73.

How is this different from what’s been provided before?

Previously, apprenticeships in agricultural and horticultural occupations were ineligible for these initiatives.

• Only trade occupations identified as being in national skills shortage were eligible.

As an additional incentive to attract workers back into rural and regional Australia, the tool kit and training (fee) voucher are being offered to agricultural and horticultural apprenticeships at the Certificate levels II, III and IV.

• All other eligible apprenticeships must be at the Certificate III or IV level.

What is rural and regional Australia?

Rural and regional Australia is generally defined as outside capital cities, except in the Northern Territory where Darwin is included as a rural and regional location.

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