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Publications and Reports Australian apprenticeships in horticulture – employer fast facts Amenity Horticulture Training Package Review TAFE Futures Key Findings National Skills Study Business Management Needs Resources Skills Dictionary Useful Links Publications & Reports

Australian Apprenticeships and Traineeships in Horticulture – Fast Facts

What is it?
A combination of training and paid employment that leads to nationally recognised qualifications. Apprenticeships and traineeships are now referred to nationally as Australian Apprenticeships - although some states and territories still make a distinction.

In the past, ‘apprenticeships’ focused on traditional trades and training took at least three years to complete. ‘Traineeships’ covered a much wider range of occupations but the training was shorter, lasting between one and two years. Over the last decade the distinction between apprenticeships and traineeships has blurred with many higher level and longer traineeships being introduced.

Apprenticeships normally last three to four years and are generally offered in the traditional trade industries. An apprenticeship can be full-time or part-time and throughout the duration of the apprenticeship they will undertake training at a TAFE or other approved training provider. On successful completion of an apprenticeship, the apprentice receives a nationally recognised qualification.

Traineeships normally last one to two years and are usually specific to non-trade occupations. A traineeship can be full-time or part-time and the training can be on or off the job, or a combination of both. On successful completion of a traineeship, the trainee will receive a nationally recognised qualification.

Who are they for?
Anyone of working age – school-leaver, currently employed, re-entering the workforce or career change.

Any pre-requisites?
They do not require any entry qualifications

Support Available?
Australian Apprentices (both apprentices and trainees) and their employers commencing in Certificate II, III and IV Agriculture (Australia wide) or Horticulture qualifications in regional or rural eligible areas. ** Eligible Post Code List is available from NGIA or via an Australian Apprenticeship Centre in your state

What incentives and personal assistance are available when employing an Australian Apprentice?
Australian Apprenticeships attract financial assistance for eligible employers to help reduce the real cost of training. These incentives encourage employers to offer employment-based training opportunities that will encourage people to acquire and expand their working skills.

Examples of employer incentives and personal assistance for Australian Apprentices are:

• Commencement incentives of up to $1250 for Certificate II qualifications paid to eligible employers
• Commencement and completion incentives of up to $4000 for Certificate III and IV level traineeships paid to eligible employers
• Commencement and completion incentives of up to $4000 for employers of apprentices paid to eligible employers
• Tools for Your Trade Initiative (up to $800 for the purchase of trade tools for the apprentice) – applies to many related apprenticeship and traineeship qualifications for both agriculture and horticulture.

• The employer must be engaged in a permanent employment arrangement – fulltime or part time, not retained as a casual.
• The Training Contract, as declared by the relevant State/Territory Training Authority specifies that the expected duration is 2 years or more. Part time employment is pro-rated with minimum 21 hours per week required.
• The eligibility of the existing workers to attract incentives also depends on whether they meet the eligibility requirements of the programme and prior qualifications held.

Other incentives and personal assistance for Australian Apprentices

• Support for Mid-Career Apprentices ($150 per week ($7,800 per annum) in the first year of the apprenticeship and $100 per week ($5,200 per annum) in the second year of the apprenticeship or until completion of the apprenticeship if completion occurs within the first two years. This can be payable to either the Australian Apprentice or employer depending on the industrial agreement to encourage more employers and Australians 30 years and over to undertake a trade apprenticeship by providing additional financial incentives. Applies only to Selected qualifications including Cert 3 Horticulture (Aboriculture) and Cert 4 Horticulture (Aboriculture)
• Rural and Regional Skills Shortage Incentives (approximately $1000) –applies only to Selected qualifications including Cert 3 Horticulture (Aboriculture) and Cert 4 Horticulture (Aboriculture). Subject to postcode eligibility. Different to Apprenticeship Training (Fee) Vouchers.
• Exceptional Circumstances Drought DeclaredIncentive - $1,500 on commencement and $1,500 on completion applies to Certificate II rural, agriculture and horticulture Australian Apprenticeships where the primary producer holds the Exceptional Circumstances Drought Declared Area certificate. Applies only to Cert 2 Horticulture and 7 Horticulture strands at Cert 2 level – (Aboriculture, Floriculture, Landscape, Retail Nursery, Wholesale Nursery, Parks and Gardens, Turf).
• Commonwealth Trade Learning Scholarships ($1000 tax exempt where the employer is a small or medium-sized enterprise (by definition employs < 500 staff). Applies to Cert 3 Horticulture (Aboriculture) and Cert 4 Horticulture (Aboriculture).
• Tools for Your Trade Initiative (up to $800 for the purchase of trade tools for the apprentice) –applies to many related apprenticeship and traineeship qualifications for both Agriculture and Horticulture. For more information regarding Tools For Your Trade call 1800 557 875 or visit the website www.toolsforyourtrade.com.au. Available for most qualifications both apprenticeship and traineeship for both Agriculture and Horticulture.
• Assistance to Australian Apprentices with disabilities - provides additional assistance to eligible employers who recruit an Australian Apprentice with a disability. Assistance for employers of Australian Apprentices with a disability includes:
  • Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support and;
  • Assistance for Tutorial, Interpreter and Mentor Services for disabled Apprentices.
  Possible wage support of around $104.30 for full-time or pro-rata for part time apprentices; possible tutorial support to a maximum of $5,500 annually plus a maximum of $5,500 annually for mentor or interpreter services) Including Cert II and above, no restriction
• Mature Aged Worker Incentive. . The Australian Government has a broad commitment to providing support for mature aged workers. Disadvantaged mature aged workers face particular barriers to employment and training. Therefore an employer of a disadvantaged worker (aged 45 years or older) may attract a special $750 Mature Aged Worker Commencement Incentive and a $750 Mature Aged Worker Completion Incentive. Additional criteria applies.
• Apprenticeship Training (Fee) Vouchers. From 1 July 2007 Apprenticeship Training (Fee) Vouchers valued at up to $500 may be available to eligible first and second year apprentices, or their employers, to assist with the cost of training fees. Australian Apprenticeships in a skills shortage area are defined by the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) available at: http://www.migration.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/skilled-occupations/occupations-in-demand.htm. (llandscape gardener / tree surgeon). For more information on Apprenticeship Training (Fee) Vouchers call 13 38 73 or email ApprenticeshipTrainingVouchers@dest.gov.au.

Employing an Australian Apprentice
There are many ways to employ an Australian Apprentice including through an Australian Workplace Agreement or Certified Agreement (or State equivalent). In consultation with your Australian Apprentice, you are able to choose a training provider for the off-the-job training and determine a flexible training plan to suit your business needs.

What does it cost to employ an Australian Apprentice?
Wages for Australian Apprentices vary according to certain characteristics eg. years of school completed, years of training, the type of Australian Apprenticeship and the industry or occupation.

An Australian Apprentice is usually paid a training wage or an apprentice wage under an award, reflecting that the employee spends time in training. You will generally treat the Australian Apprentice in the same way as all your other employees in relation to superannuation, workers' compensation and other entitlements or requirements. You can find out more by calling the Workplace infoline on 1300 363 264.

You can, for example, vary the mix of training and working time (providing certain conditions are met), employ an Australian Apprentice on a part time basis, and specify other terms and conditions which are appropriate to the needs of your business.

To find out more about which option is best for your business, you can contact:

• Workplace info line provides information about wages and conditions by phoning 1300 363 264
• Wagenet provides historical information on wages and conditions from federal awards up until 26 March 2006.
• Office of the Employment Advocate
• State and Territory Training Authorities
• An Australian Apprenticeships Centre in your region may be able to assist you in finding additional information.

Your Next Call – Australian Apprenticeship Centres
Contact your local Australian Apprenticeship Centre for more information about hiring an Australian Apprentice. A NSW contact suggestion would be Bernard Moore, Business Relationships Manager at Mission Australia on 1300 626 227 or via email on mooreb@missionaustralia.com.au

Amenity Horticulture Training Package Review

A comprehensive review of the Amenity Horticulture Training Package was conducted in 2006.

The Amenity Horticulture package covers all formal education offered to our industry outside the university system. Currently delivering 34 qualifications at Certificate II to IV, diploma and advanced diploma levels, Amenity Horticulture Training Package courses are taught by Registered Training Organisations (RTO) such as TAFE institutes and other private providers.

Phase 1 of the review found that overall, the Amenity Horticulture Training Package overwhelmingly meets with industry satisfaction. The recommendations of the Phase One Scoping Report, therefore, do not prescribe major change but rather, reflect an opportunity to fine tune qualifications and units of competency to provide improved training for future graduates to the industry.

Click here to download the Phase One Scoping Report.

TAFE Futures Key Findings

TAFE Futures is a National Inquiry into the future of the public TAFE system.

The TAFE Futures Inquiry was commissioned by the Australian Education Union to determine how TAFE can best operate in the future to ensure it is meeting the skills and education needs of its students, employers and local communities.

Run across the country during July and August 2006, the Inquiry provided an opportunity for the people who make TAFE run or from those who use TAFE to have their views heard. Often excluded from government consultations, these people include students, teachers, trainers, administrative workers , members of the community, and industry and employers.

TAFE Futures found strong support for the role of TAFE as the public provider of first choice in post-compulsory vocational education and training in Australia. The Inquiry heard of the need for greater clarity around the role of TAFE and its relationships to government.

The 102 submissions received by TAFE Futures have been posted on the Inquiry’s website. The full TAFE Futures Report by Dr Peter Kell can be downloaded from www.tafefutures.org.au.

Click here for the TAFE Futures Key Findings report.

National Skills Study 2005/06

Whether it is a response to competition from others or to environmental developments, change requires that business owners and employees develop a greater range of skills. The National Skills Study 2005/06 was undertaken to identify what these skill sets should be – both presently and in the future.

The National Skills Study asked the following questions:

• What is and is not working within the current training programs available to industry?
• What are the industry's future skill requirements?
• Where should training resources be focused?

Research commenced in October 2005 and concluded in February 2006, having involved over 500 industry people nation-wide.

The findings from the National Skills Study are being used to set the direction for skills development activities in 2006 and beyond, including the drafting of the National Training Plan. They have also provided a valuable source of input into the 2006 review of the Amenity Horticulture National Training package.

Click here for the National Skills Study summary report.

Business Management Needs in the Nursery and Garden Industry 2005

This project identifies success factors for managing nursery and landscaping businesses.

Businesses in nursery, gardening and landscaping face a challenging and dynamic industry environment. This environment places a high premium on professional management practices.

The study, which involved over 250 industry personnel through desktop research, interviews, discussion groups and an on-line survey, revealed that business managers rated themselves as comparatively weak in strategic planning and flexibility.

• Less than half of the businesses had a written business plan.
• Businesses were relatively poor at creating a clear marketing edge.
• Many businesses were comparatively poor on core financial skills including cost identification and tracking.
• There is room for improvement in approaches to recruitment and retention of good staff.

The real challenge is to trigger interest and motivation to improve management practices. This study illustrates key strategies for improving business management practices in our industry.

Click here to read the Business Management Needs final report.

Resources

Skills Dictionary

Staff retention is a serious problem in the nursery and garden industry – and low wages are only part of the problem. Job satisfaction and opportunity play a fundamental role in both attracting and keeping employees in any industry.

A skills dictionary won’t fix the problem, but it’s a great place to start. A skills dictionary identifies all the skills required to perform work within an industry, irrespective of role or level within an organisation. The skills dictionary developed by NGIA as part of the National Skills Study helps businesses in the nursery and garden industry by:

• Getting everyone to speak the same language - Converting the national training package into a clear, concise and easy to understand document.
• Guiding expectations - Identifying what skills should be expected and developed for every job in the industry.
• Facilitating development - Assisting career planning and development by setting skill goals for business owners and employees to work towards.
• Keeping staff interested in working for you – Designing appropriate career pathways to keep employees interested and happy in their work.

View or download the Skills Dictionary here.

Useful Links

There are many learning environments, many of which are not limited to the classroom. Below are some links and contacts that provide information for the ongoing skill development of industry businesses, employers and employees.

It’s not always about knowing all the answers, but more importantly, knowing where to find the answers.

(no subscription necessary)	AusIndustry is the Australian Government's agency for delivering products, services and information that support industry, research and innovation. AusIndustry provides a range of products designed to assist small businesses to become innovative and internationally competitive.
(no subscription necessary)	business.gov.au offers simple and convenient access to all the government information, transactions and services. It's a whole-of-government service providing essential information on planning, starting and running a business.
(no subscription necessary)	This e-business guide website provides information and resources about e-business for small businesses in Australia and for those who advise them. It is an initiative of the Australian Government.
(no subscription necessary)	The Australian Workplace provides access to online services and information, guiding you to employment information, government assistance, jobs, careers, training, working conditions and Indigenous Employment.
(no subscription necessary)	A single point of access to the vast range of vocational education and training information, products and services in Australia, translated into English. This website gives a simple overview of the Vocational Education & Training System (VET) in Austalia. A must read for employers and employees dealing with Trainees and Apprentices.
(no subscription necessary)	New Apprentices Information Centre site provides current information on vocational education and training, training packages and links to federal, state and territory training authorities. Great site if you are investing in apprentices or trying to locate RTOs in your region. Requires some time to navigate. Also provides detail on career pathways.
(no subscription necessary)	WageNet provides information about wages and conditions of employment in Australia for work that is covered by federal awards and agreements.
(subscription required)	With surveys revealing that the majority of small business owners see their accountant just once or twice a year, Australianbiz is designed to bridge the gap between the two by providing an additional source of information to prompt owners to contact their accountant more often on specific issues that impact on their business.
(subscription required)	Discover proven management solutions from Business Experts and Entrepreneurs to build competitive advantage and continuous business growth.
	The Office of the Employment Advocate's (OEA) primary role is to accept lodgements of workplace agreements. This information on this website is designed to assist employers in understanding the different types of workplace agreements, the steps involved in the lodgement process and the publications you need to make, vary and terminate an agreement.