Apprentices get a percentage of the trade qualified rate. The percentage they get will depend on:

• the year of the apprenticeship they’re in
• the apprentice’s age when they started the apprenticeship
• when they started their apprenticeship
• what year of school they completed.

To calculate apprentice rates, use our Pay and Conditions Tool.

What allowances are included in the ordinary hourly rate?

The allowances included will depend on the type of apprenticeship.

Plumbing and mechanical apprenticeship

Apprentices get the:

• full industry allowance
• apprentice percentage of the plumbing trade allowance
• apprentice percentage of the tool allowance.

Trainee plumbing and mechanical apprenticeship (NSW only)

Apprentices get the:

• full industry allowance
• full tool allowance
• apprentice percentage of the plumbing trade allowance.

Fire sprinkler fitter apprenticeship

Apprentices get the apprentice percentage of the following allowances:

• industry disability allowance
• space, height and dirt money
• sprinkler fitters adjustment
• tool allowance.

Example

Daniel is a 1^st year plumbing apprentice. He started the apprenticeship in 2020 after he finished year 12. The apprentice percentage for his 1^st year is 55%.

To work out his ordinary hourly rate, Daniel applies the 55% apprentice percentage to the:

• trade qualified minimum weekly rate
• plumbing trade allowance
• tool allowance.

He adds these amounts together. He then adds the full industry allowance to this total amount. The result is Daniel’s total weekly rate.

To get his ordinary hourly rate Daniel divides the weekly rate by 38.

Give us feedback on this article

Use our Feedback form to give us feedback about the information in this article.

If you have a question about pay or entitlements or need our help with a workplace issue, you can submit an online enquiry.