Quality candidates who are committed and enthusiastic and have a positive attitude, are common traits employers are looking for when hiring an apprentice or trainee. The key is to utilise the most effective channels to hiring an apprentice or trainee for your business. 

Group Training Organisation (GTO)

A group training organisation (GTO) is a labour hire provider that employs apprentices and trainees and hires them out to ‘host employers’. GTOs identify suitable ‘host’ opportunities with an organisation for each apprentice or trainee and are responsible for ensuring that the apprentices and trainees receive suitable employment and training.

GTOs undertake employer duties:

• Selecting and recruiting apprentices and trainees
• Paying wages, allowances, superannuation, workers compensation, sick/holiday pay and other employment benefits
• Managing the quality and continuity of employment and training, both on and off the job
• Providing any care and support the apprentices requires to complete their training

More information about Group Training Organisations can be found here: What is a GTO?

Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) provider

Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) providers is your first point of contact for queries about how an Apprenticeship or Traineeship works, and how to set up one at your workplace. Various AASN providers utilise Online jobs boards developed specifically to provide job-seekers with access to apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities.

Once an apprentice or trainee has acquired a job, AASNs meet with you and your employer to.

• Sign the Training Contract to make your apprenticeship or traineeship official
• Assist to choosing a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that will deliver your training
• Register the Training Contract with the relevant State Training Authority (STA).
• The STA will send you a confirmation letter once you're registered as an Australian Apprentice
• Upon confirmation from the STA, you and your employer can enroll with your chosen RTO and develop a formal Training Plan to commence training.

More information about Australian Apprenticeship Support Networks can be found here: What is an AASN?

Social media

Modern recruiters use social networking platforms to find, recruit and retain ideal employees.

• You broaden your search for applicants significantly: Not all potential candidates are reading newspapers or on job-seeker sites. Using social media is a great way to reach everyone at a professional and personal level.
• It’s cost-effective: Using social media sites for finding and recruiting candidates is significantly less expensive than traditional search methods.
• It shortens hiring time: Communication with potential candidates is faster through direct messaging, and candidates can respond immediately.
• It gives you the competitive advantage: Social media can provide immediate insight into potential candidates, in real time.

Facebook or LinkedIn, are fantastic channels to utilise when looking to hire an apprentice or trainee, being a free and simple medium to inform your networks of the opportunities to take on a new and enthusiastic employee. Quite often organisations advertise that they are hiring, and encourage your networks to re-share it for you.

Company website

Job seekers who know where they would like to work should first check out the company website to find available openings and apply online. Going directly to the source gets applications into the system fast. It also may be possible to sign up to be notified of new job openings as soon as they are posted.

If a company has a well-established website with a decent amount of traffic, it is worthwhile utilising or adding a ‘Careers’ page to the main navigation to attract apprentices or trainees to your business. Information about the position the business is recruiting for can be added, where prospective candidates can apply for the position or to express their interest via a call or email through their details.