FAQ

For Job Seekers (or) New Apprentices/Trainees

  • What do you guys do?

    CCGT employ apprentices and trainees across a wide range of different industries. You will see all of our job vacancies here. We recruit a successful candidate for the role. If you are selected to fill the role; we provide ongoing support to both yourself and to your host employer who is responsible for giving you all of your on-the-job experience.
    We make sure you are paid on time weekly and will manage all aspects of your apprenticeship or traineeship including your training by providing a ‘Field Officer’ who will come to see you and your supervisor on-site regularly throughout the year.

    When we aren’t employing apprentices and trainees, we are also helping job seekers to design a future they’ll love! So, if you’re a job seeker who has absolutely no idea what you want to do or if you are still at school and are looking to take the next step, we have our  FREE 1:1 Phone phone appointments that can help with that.

    Lastly, from time to time you might see a job opportunity on our website that is not an apprenticeship or traineeship and that may require the candidate to hold qualification(s). This is our Recruitment-Only Service whereby we help recruit and select a qualified candidate on behalf of an Employer and are employed directly by them.

    CCGT take every opportunity to be involved with the community including Central Coast High Schools, Community Organisations, and organising events such as the Central Coast Future Pathways Expo.

  • How do I register with CCGT?

    If you are interested in securing employment with CCGT, the best thing you can do is ‘register’ to receive our ‘Job Alert Emails.’ Each time we advertise a vacancy, you will receive an email directly to your inbox with everything you need to know about the new position.

    This is a completely FREE service and a great way to keep up to date with every new employment opportunity available through CCGT! Your dream career could be just around the corner!

    Head over here to be able to register for our Job Alerts system.

  • Do I need to have completed year 10 to do an apprenticeship or traineeship?

    No. There is no minimum level of schooling that you are required to complete in order to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship. You can apply even if you are still attending high school!

    However, some employers may request candidates to have their Year 10 or Year 12 Certificate as part of their own specific selection criteria.

    Please note if an employer requires you to have completed either of these qualifications, it will be noted as part of the ‘Essential Criteria’ on the job advertisement.

  • Is there an age limit to being able to get an apprenticeship/traineeship?

    Yes. Candidates must be at least 14 years and 9 months old to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship.

    However, there are no restrictions around a maximum age to become an apprentice or trainee. CCGT employ many mature aged candidates particularly those returning to work, entering a new career or upskilling their current credentials.

  • What is the difference between an apprenticeship and a traineeship?

    An apprenticeship and a traineeship are quite similar, sometimes it just depends on the industry you are in as to whether you are completing one or the other. For a bit more information on each, check out our What is an apprenticeship? and What is a traineeship? pages.

  • Can I come in and talk to someone?

    Absolutely. You can message us on Facebook or Instagram, send us an email, give us a call or certainly drop into the office if you have any questions.

    You could also consider attending one of our Information sessions, where we will cover all there is to know about finding your dream career through an apprenticeship or traineeship. Our team members are here to advise, support and guide you while you start your career journey! Contact our office to book in for our next session or keep an eye on our Social media.

For Parents

  • How can I help my child get an apprenticeship/traineeship?

    Preparation is the key!

    The application and interview process itself can feel overwhelming to your child, particularly if it is something they haven’t done before. Practice makes perfect. We suggest running through some more common interview questions at home first.

    Believe it or not, the question of ‘tell me a bit about yourself…’ can generally be where nerves take over and candidates can struggle to find a response if they haven’t already thought it through.

    Work Experience is GOLD

    Sourcing some work experience with an Employer in the particular field of work they are interested in, can provide a fantastic insight into their future career. It enhances their network and can often lead to further employment opportunities with 85% of jobs being filled through networking not through traditional forms of advertising as we have come to expect!

    Persistence Pays Off

    Be mindful that your child might be feeling a little disheartened if they aren’t successful straight away. Keep encouraging your child and stay positive. Every step they take is a step in the right direction!

  • My child wants to leave school & doesn’t know what to do, how can you help? Can we come in and meet with someone?

    We can always answer some questions through a message on Facebook or Instagram, or via phone call or email and you could always pop into our office to have a chat to one of our team members.

    However, if you are looking more so for a thorough, informative workshop for your child to help when it comes to guiding them towards their future career, our Information Sessions are the way to go.

  • Does my child need to pay a membership fee to be employed through CCGT?

    Not at all!

    It is a completely FREE service to enjoy all the benefits of being a CCGT Apprentice or Trainee.

    Further details of CCGT employee benefits can be found on our About CCGT page

  • How much are my child’s course fees?

    One of the biggest benefits for your child undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship is that the course fees are FREE!

    Your child will never be responsible for paying for their studies as long as they are employed as a registered apprentice or trainee.

    This means that unlike other options of study, your child will be able to spend their time earning while they’re learning and will complete their qualification without any debt related to their training

  • What is put in place so that my child is safe at work?

    When your child is employed by Central Coast Group Training, we allocate them a ‘Field Officer’. This is someone who remains a constant point of contact for the apprentice or trainee as well as the host employer. Your child is able to contact their Field Officer at any time should they feel unsafe, however with a business like ours, we conduct regular WHS Assessments on our host employers to ensure that safety standards are being met and to also ensure that your child has a substantial amount of WHS related knowledge.

    With CCGT being your child’s legal employer, we also hold the right to be able to withdraw your child from any environment that is deemed to be unsafe. If the host employer is unable to correct the issue in order to comply with safety standards, we will be able to assist your child in finding another suitable host employer so that they are able to complete their apprenticeship/traineeship.

For employers

  • Why would I use CCGT and not just employ an apprentice or trainee myself?

    There are many added benefits by partnering with a business like CCGT to employ your apprentices and trainees, some of the main points of difference are:

    • FREE Recruitment: You will no longer have to worry about spending hours placing advertisements, interviewing candidates and reference checking because we can take care of all of that for you!
    • HR/Performance Management & Ongoing Support: We will allocate a ‘Field Officer’ that will be an ongoing point of contact for yourself and for the apprentice or trainee throughout the duration of them obtaining their qualification. A Field Officer provides all Performance Management services and HR related support to both yourself as the business owner and the apprentice or trainee. On-site visits are conducted every 10 weeks in order to ensure progress and to address any other arising issues.
    • Workers compensation, payroll and all administrative related duties, COVERED: because CCGT are the legal employer of your apprentice or trainee we are responsible for covering any workers compensation liability, we are also responsible for processing their pay, looking after all administrative related duties as well as keeping all employee records with us – just one less thing for you as a business owner to have to worry about!
  • What is my obligation when it comes to hiring an apprentice or trainee through CCGT?

    With taking an apprentice or trainee on board through CCGT, your main obligation is to supply that person with the ‘on the job’ training/experience that they need. CCGT take care of everything else!

    All legal obligations such as workers comp, processing payroll etc. are CCGT’s responsibility, it is also up to us to communicate with the apprentice/trainees training organisation to make sure they are progressing, as well as liaising with the apprenticeship centre and speaking with Training Services NSW as required.

    We do what we do to make life easier for our employers in order to make taking an apprentice or trainee on board as easy as possible.

  • Do you have anyone on your books?

    Generally, no, what we do is we recruit for you as a position becomes available. Candidates are required to match the needs of your business, so we don’t always have somebody ready and waiting.

    There may from time to time be someone who is in a position where their host employer has run out of work or was unable to keep them on for unforeseen reasons. We call this an ‘available candidate’ and if there is anyone within your industry who we have ready and available at the time when we speak to you, we will always ensure that we let you know.

  • If I already have someone who I want to put on as an apprentice, can I do that and still have CCGT employ them?

    Absolutely. Contact us today and we will arrange everything on your behalf.

  • What happens if the apprentice or trainee does not work out?

    We completely understand that there are times when this might happen. Anything from organisational changes, relocations or simply a downturn in workload could mean that your Apprentice or Trainee is no longer required. As CCGT are their legal employer, we manage each aspect of the process to make it as easy as possible for you. In most cases, we will assist the apprentice/trainee to relocate to alternative employment utilising our strong employer network.

    In the unlikely event, that it is a performance related issue, CCGT will work with you and the apprentice / trainee to reach the best outcome. If the issue can not be resolved, you simply hand the Apprentice/Trainee back to CCGT adhering to the required notice periods.

  • How much will an apprentice or trainee cost me?

    That depends! There are a few different factors that can change the cost of an apprentice/trainee.

    Things such as, the Award they are covered under, how long their qualification is expected to take, the qualification they are studying along with whether they are part-time or full-time, can all effect the hourly charge-out rate.

    The best thing to do to make sure the information you are providing is accurate and up to date is to contact our office by completing our Employers enquiry form and we will confirm the finer details before providing you the information you’re after.

  • Can I trial candidates before committing?

    For sure! We understand that taking on an apprentice or trainee is a big commitment and we are here to make this process as easy as possible.

    That means allowing our host employers the ability to ‘trial’ candidates before formally offering them a position.

    Trial periods can be from as little as a day, up to a week to determine whether the candidate suits your business.

    You are also able to trial more than one candidate for any positions you have available. This can also be a great way for a candidate to determine whether this role is most suited to them as well.

  • Do Apprentices & Trainees have to go to TAFE every week?

    No, not necessarily! There are a lot of qualifications that do require an apprentice or trainee to attend a TAFE campus to receive their training. However, CCGT look into whether there might be other options available for your apprentice/trainee to complete their training.

    One of the most popular options available is ‘on the job’ study. This is where an apprentice or trainee is allowed three hours of paid time per week to complete their coursework online and a trainer only comes to visit intermittently. This can be completed on-site, or an apprentice or trainee can be sent home to complete their formal training.

    At times, it really comes down to what would best suit an employer’s business, one of the team members at CCGT will discuss this with you to determine firstly, what options are available and secondly, what is most suited to you.

    If you’d like to find out a bit more information, feel free to contact us by completing our Employers enquiry form

  • Do I pay for their TAFE days?

    All training time, whether this is completed on the job, or off the job at somewhere such as TAFE, is included within an apprentice or trainees regular working week and will therefore be charged as time worked.

    Keep in mind though, if your apprentice or trainee is attending a training organisation such as TAFE, during the TAFE holidays they are able to work for you during this time for the full week.

  • Once my apprentice / trainee finishes their training, what happens then?

    An apprentice or trainee usually finishes their ‘study’ component a little earlier than their official completion date (sometimes up to a year, for example: If an apprenticeship runs for four years an apprentice is only required to attend TAFE for 3 out of those 4 years, with the last 12 months expected to be spent on the job, working towards the status of a fully qualified, independent tradesperson).

    There are a couple of options that are available to an apprentice or trainee (and you as a host employer) once they have finished their study. They do have the option to complete earlier than expected and can be signed off as a tradesperson prior to their official end date, or they can complete their time and fulfil their full term.

    Once completed, whether this be earlier than expected or on-time an there is no fee involved in this for a host employer with CCGT. There is also no obligation to keep the apprentice or trainee on board with you after this time. You as a host employer are able to offer the trainee or apprentice a position with you directly as a qualified team member or alternatively, it will be up to them to source a new position.

  • I just need help with getting the right candidate for my business, whether they are a trainee/apprentice or even someone qualified, can you help?

    We most certainly can!

    With our very own internal Recruitment Department, we can be your one-stop-shop for all of your Recruitment needs with no obligation to continue to use CCGT beyond their recruitment and selection…

    This includes all advertising, interviewing, reference checking and aptitude testing candidates to save you time in the most cost-effective way!

    Our Recruitment service is available for any part-time or full-time positions you have available including apprentices, trainees and qualified employees.

    Contact us today using our Employers enquiry form to find out more about how we can help you with everything and anything Recruitment!

Helpful Links

State Training Services

State Training Services (STS) is responsible for government-funded vocational education and training (VET) in NSW.
https://www.training.nsw.gov.au/

NSW WorkCover

NSW WorkCover is responsible for health and safety in the work place. NSW WorkCover covers: advice, licensing registrations, NSW laws policies and safety support programs.
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/

Fair Work Ombudsman

Fair Work Ombudsman is responsible for educating and enforcing workplace laws, this includes pay, leave, employment contracts, awards and responsibilities.
http://www.fairwork.gov.au/