A couple of gold coins arranged in the shape of a question mark.
Your mature age apprentice wages will vary depending on the industrial award you are paid under, your previous experience and, of course, the industry market rate.

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All wages in Australia are managed by Fair Work who can be contacted to get the latest modern award information through their website or by calling 13 13 94.
People completing a mature age apprenticeship in Australia are entitled to extra benefits from the government if you fulfil some of the following criteria:

  • You are aged 25 or over.
  • You are an Australian Resident.
  • You are a New Zealand resident who has lived in Australia for a minimum of six months.
  • If you are neither of the above, but you have a valid work visa, you may still be entitled to benefits whilst completing a mature age apprenticeship, however, some restrictions may be applied depending on your circumstances. The best thing to do is to contact the ABL Apprenticeships Centre.
  • You must be in the process of completing a certificate III or IV level in a Mature Age Apprenticeship and it must be in a trade listed on the National Skills Needs list. This list can be found at http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/List.asp

Help on top of mature age apprentice wages

If eligible for financial help, during the first year you may be on course to receiving an extra $150 (Australian Dollars) a week on top of your mature age apprentice wages, which would add up to $7800 a year. This decreases after your second year (your wages should go up year on year to make up for this decrease). In your second year, and any other years that you need to complete your mature age apprenticeship, you may be on course to getting $100 a week, or $5200 a year, which again is all separate from your basic mature age apprentice wages.

If you need particular tools to complete your mature age apprenticeships and you are eligible for financial help mentioned above, you may also be entitled to receive help towards purchasing those tools. You can receive up to five bonuses that are exempt from tax, of up to $1,700 each. You will receive these bonuses during the course of your training as you reach specific milestones in your training.

If you are required to either travel long distances or live in a second home in order to complete your training, you may also be entitled to receive financial aid with your travelling and living expenses.

Once you complete your mature age apprenticeship and you are officially certified in your trade, you can expect your wages to be at least two times the amount it was previously.

Despite all this extra help you may or may not receive, the reality is that your initial mature age apprentice wages might make it a challenge to pay all the bills and outgoings, but if you persevere and make it through, you should be able to get a decent starting job (depending on industry), and your wages should increase with time and experience.

Contact your local apprenticeships centre on 13 38 73 to get advice and to find out what you may be eligible for.

“Short term pain can often lead to long term gain.”
MatureAgeApprenticeships.org

Good luck.
-Mature Age Apprenticeships.org Team

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