Costs, benefits and incentives

Taking on an apprentice or trainee can be a cost-effective, rewarding way to build and retain your workforce. But it can also be a risk, committing up to 4 years of wages and effort on a young worker who may leave as soon as they are qualified.

There are considerable costs when you employ an apprentice or trainee. Your biggest costs will be training and supervision. However, there is also financial support available from the government to help with these costs.

This guide outlines the main risks and rewards of apprenticeships and traineeships from the employer's perspective, the costs you will incur and a summary of all the incentives, subsidies and rebates for eligible employers.