Part-time apprenticeships and traineeships
Eligibility
Anyone can start a part-time apprenticeship or traineeship in Queensland if they fulfil basic eligibility criteria for:
- minimum age (13 years old for most jobs)
- residency (living and working in Queensland)
- industrial awards that permit part-time arrangements
- visa requirements for workers other than Australian and New Zealand citizens.
Learn the eligibility requirements.
High school students can become part-time or school-based apprentices and trainees. Read the differences between school-based and part-time arrangements.
Working hours
A part-time apprentice or trainee must work:
- at least 15 hours paid work a week, averaged out over each 4-week period during the training contract
- regular hours or a regular roster (not casual or irregular).
Apprentices and trainees with a disability may be able to work less than 15 hours a week, with approval.
Training
These working hours include training with your training organisation.
Time to complete
Part-time arrangements usually take twice as long as full-time arrangements. So, if a full-time plumbing apprenticeship takes 4 years to complete, doing it part-time will take 8 years.
These are guidelines because apprenticeships and traineeships are competency-based, not time-based.
Probation
Probationary periods are usually:
- 90 days for apprenticeships
- 30–90 days for traineeships.
They are included as part of the 'total nominal term' of the training contract and apply from the start date of the apprenticeship or traineeship.
Read more about probation.
Part-time electrotechnology apprenticeships
If you want to do a part-time electrotechnology apprenticeship, you'll need to meet specific requirements, such as minimum educational level, minimum work requirements and supervision.
Wages and entitlements
To find out your wage and entitlements see apprentice and trainee pay rates on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
Combining part-time apprenticeships and traineeships
If they don't interfere with each other, it is possible to do:
- more than 1 part-time apprenticeship or traineeship at once
- a full-time apprenticeship or traineeship with a part-time one.
Note: You can only receive government (user choice) funding for 1 appprenticeship or traineeship at a time so if you do more than that you will only be funded for the first one.
Changing from part-time to full-time or vice versa
To change your apprenticeship or traineeship from part-time to full-time, or vice versa, follow these steps:
- You and your employer need to agree.
- Notify your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) provider.
- You and your employer need to fill out Form ATF-035.