Apprentices and trainees

What is an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a legally-binding training arrangement between an employer and an apprentice combining structured training with paid employment.

Apprenticeships usually take four years to complete with training at both the workplace and with a training provider.

What is a trainee?

A trainee is a person being trained with a registered training organisation or a student of electrical work under the supervision of teaching staff at an approved university, college or school.

Getting started

To become a qualified electrical worker you need to complete an apprenticeship or traineeship. You learn the trade on the job while under supervision as well as studying at an approved registered training organisation.

Delivery and assessment of accredited training resulting in a qualification or statement of attainment for electrical licence eligibility must include practical assessments of competencies using electrical industry endorsed training packages and relevant electro technology tools and equipment. 

The chief executive may not deem a person competent if not satisfied that the RTO that provides a qualification or statement of attainment has relevant electro technology resources.

For information on training to become an electrical worker contact:

• Department of Employment and Training
  Telephone: 1300 369 935
• Energy Skills Queensland (ESQ) (non-Queensland Government link)

Work limitations while training

Section 209 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 (PDF File, 1.02 MB) places limitations on work carried out by apprentices and trainees to protect them from electrical shock and injury.

In the first six months of the training program, an apprentice/trainee must not work:

• near a live high voltage exposed part
• where there is a risk of coming into contact with a live low voltage exposed part.

Throughout training the apprentice or trainee must be supervised at all times by an appropriately licensed electrical worker.

Your role as a supervisor

An employer is obliged to ensure apprentices are supervised at all times. The level of supervision should depend upon the work and the level of training and competence of the trainee or apprentice.

Supervisors over see the work of a trainee or apprentice to keep the risk of injury or property damage either minimised or entirely eliminated.

Supervision of electrical work and the way it is performed includes:

• statutory compliance, such as the work an apprentice is allowed to do
• health and safety matters
• technical compliance to (non-Queensland Government link)
• implementation of a safe system of work.

As a supervisor you must be properly qualified and experienced in the work you are overseeing and your licence must be current.