The Off the Job training policy is changing

 

From 01 August 2022, the 20 percent off-the-job requirement for all new apprentices is changing. The 20% off-the-job requirement will be capped at 30 hours per week, over the planned duration of the apprenticeship practical period. When taking into account annual leave, this is approximately 5.5hrs per week for any full time employee, irrespective of the hours worked by the apprentice. 

 

This means that full-time apprentices who work more than 30 hours per week, will no longer be bound to a disproportionately large number of off-the-job training hours, just because their working hours are longer than other apprentices.  For example, an apprentice working  40 hours per week, will be required to engage in the same number of off-the-job hours as an apprentice working 30 hours a week.

 

See example calculation below:

Employee working 30 hours per week, on a 14 month apprenticeship: (61 weeks – 6.6 weeks A/L entitlement) x 30 = 1632 hours x 20% = 327 hours Total Off-the-job hours = 5.5 hours per week

Employee working 40 hours per week, on a 14 month apprenticeship: (61 weeks – 6.6 weeks A/L entitlement) x 30 (CAPPED) = 1632 hours x 20% = 327 hours Total Off-the-job hours = 5.5 hours per week

 

A benefit of this is that Apprentices will be able to contribute more time to On-the-job activities at a time when many businesses are still struggling to recover from the impact of the pandemic

 

NOTE: This policy change only applies to new starts from 1 August 2022.