Electrical Apprentices
Owned and operated by industry for industry
necaeducation.com.au
Welcome
NECA Education and Careers is the leading employer of
electrical apprentices in Victoria with over twenty-two years
experience in providing employment and training opportunities
for many individuals and businesses.
We work with many companies throughout Victoria and
Tasmania, and pride ourselves in understanding your business
goals, staffing needs and workplace culture.
We manage all recruitment, employment, training, mentoring,
payroll, administration and work with you along the journey to
see the apprentice successfully complete and ideally continue
on within your business.
Furthermore, we are owned and operated by the electrical
industry. This allows for industry input ensuring we are in touch
with needs and demands of electrical contractors and the
electrical industry.
Thank you for taking the time in allowing us to better
understand your needs and we look forward to partnering with
you in the near future.
Philip Green
Chief Executive Officer
What is Group Training?
Group Training is a fantastic opportunity for businesses wishing
to employ an apprentice without the stress of everything else
that comes with employing an apprentice, such as schooling,
profiling and the paperwork.
The concept of group training is a method of employing and
training an apprentice and has been part of industry for over
thirty years.
Group training organisations were formed by regional, rural and
industry bodies to employ and place apprentices in industry to
allow the apprentice to learn the trade activities on the job while
participating in their chosen apprenticeship.
The group training organisation employs the apprentice and
leases the apprentice to host organisations under a lease
arrangement.
NECA Education and Careers commenced operation in 1992
and employs electrician apprentices.
During this time NECA Education and Careers has employed
and assisted over 2000 apprentices to successfully complete
their apprenticeship.
Benefits of being
a host
Why leasing an apprentice through NECA Education
and Careers is the only way to go.
NECA Education and Careers provides professional apprentice
management services to electrical contractors, and creates
quality employment and training opportunities for those seeking
careers in the electrical and communication industry.
There are many benefits to employing apprentices within your
business. Leasing through NECA Education and Careers is a
simple business solution that is cost effective and saves you
time.
We are owned and operated by the electrical industry, therefore
we keep up-to-date on the needs and ongoing changes in the
industry, as well as being a not-for-profit organisation.
We take away all the time, stress and hassle and ensure all
aspects of apprentice management are covered, so you can
concentrate on what you do best.
Why you should host a NECA
Education and Careers apprentice
Flexible employment arrangements: There are no long term
contracts, you lease an apprentice when you need them. We
can relocate an apprentice when you’re experiencing downtime
or no longer require the apprentice.
Recruitment and selection becomes easier: We will
advertise, interview and facilitate aptitude testing, reference
checks before you interview them.
Intensive induction: Apprentices attend an intensive induction
that includes:
• Online and face-to-face induction program (covering safety
and workplace awareness)
• Workshop training
• Elevated work platform (EWP) training
• Basic electrical testing
• Apprenticeship training agreement paperwork
• Enrolment in Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician
• Providing protective clothing and equipment (PPE)
• Providing a quality tool kit.
Minimal paperwork: We take out the stress of managing
an apprentice by recruiting, mentoring, training, administering
payroll, superannuation, annual leave, leave loading, RDO
entitlements, WorkCover, injury management and trade school
enrolment. We take on all legal obligations as the employer.
Mentoring and Monitoring: Each apprentice is assigned to a
dedicated Industry Careers Coordinator to mentor and ensure
they are up-to-date for the duration of their apprenticeship.
The Industry Careers Coordinator monitors the apprentice’s onthe-job and off-the-job components of their apprenticeship by
conducting quarterly site visits covering:
• OH&S awareness and compliance
• Profiling monitoring
• Managing personal issues and discipline where necessary
• Work exposure
• Review PPE
• Review Toolkits
• Monitor and discuss trade school work.
The Industry Careers Coordinator conducts quarterly site visits
to review the apprentice’s performance for both on-the-job and
off-the-job studies.
Cost: You only pay whilst the apprentice is with you. You will
receive a weekly invoice from NECA Education and Careers
clearly identifying all costs and charges. NECA Education and
Careers Apprentices are paid their wages in accordance with a
36/38 hour working week operating under a NECA Education
and Careers Industrial Agreement.
Construction Induction Card Training: NECA Education and
Careers arranges the industry approved Construction Induction
training for applicants that have not previously completed the
training.
Test and Impress: You have the opportunity to ‘test and
impress’ the apprentices, ideal if you’re looking for someone
long term and can train them to suit your business.
How much does an
apprentice really cost
to directly employ?
Employing your own apprentice is
inexpensive and cost effective right?
Maybe not...if you just look at the hourly rate you’re probably
thinking “bargain” but have you ever thought about the true
costs associated with employing an apprentice?
We have!
With only finite chargeable hours that you can recover for your
business, understanding the real cost is vital.
The real cost includes wages, annual leave, public holidays,
travel, fares, superannuation, annual leave loading, tax, workers
compensation and reimbursements, as displayed below.
Year
Apprentice Award
Hourly Wage
Real cost to
Employers
1st
$12.07
$24.84
2nd
$14.18
$28.57
3rd
$15.23
$30.42
4th
$17.76
$29.53
When you employ an apprentice you can only recover the costs
of that apprentice by charging the hours worked to a customer,
i.e. chargeable hours. The following calculation is based on a 38
hour working week.
To assist the calculation, we use a 7.6 hour day...(38 hours
divided by 5 days = 7.6 hours)
Max Chargeable hours/days
First to third year apprentices
Work hours for the year
52 weeks x 38 hrs = 1976 hrs
Less personal leave 10 days x 7.6 hrs = 76 hrs
Less public holidays
10 days x 7.6 hrs = 76 hrs
Less annual leave
20 days x 7.6 hrs = 152 hrs
Less trade school
40 days x 7.6 hrs = 304 hrs
Total available work hours (days)
= 1368 hrs
= 1368 hrs divided by 7.6 hrs = 180 days
Fourth year apprentice
A fourth year apprentice will attend trade school for 5 days
(38 hrs).
Total available work hours (days)
The above costs do not include:
= 1634 hrs
= 1634 hrs divided by 7.6 hrs = 215 days
The following table demonstrates wage and other costs
associated with directly employing an apprentice.
• Uniform and boots (fair wear and tear)
• Tools
• Training (Construction Induction Card, trade school)
• PPE (gloves, glasses, ear muffs, hard hat etc.)
• Mentoring (profiling, trade school)
• Recruitment and induction costs
• Ongoing administration and support
Bit of a shock?
1ST YEAR
2ND YEAR
3RD YEAR
4TH YEAR
Wage
Hour
Weekly
Annually
$12.07
$458.66
$14.18
$538.84
$15.23
$578.74
$17.76
$674.88
$23 850.32
$28 019.68
$30 094.48
$35 093.76
$573.80 @ $3.02/day
$3180.86
$2652.97
$321.06
$6728.70
$678.30 @ $3.57/day
$3180.86
$3064.32
$377.19
$7300.67
$729.60 @ $3.84/day
$3180.86
$3268.96
$405.12
$7584.53
$981.00 (218 days) @ $4.50/day
$3663.35 (205 days)
$3820.00
$472.42
$8936.77
Payroll Tax
Reimbursement of trade school and related fees
Workers Compensation
$1498.37
$1100.00
$803.62
$1730.70
$1100.00
$928.22
$1846.27
$1100.00
$990.20
$2157.50
$1100.00
$968.67
Total Cost
$33 981.01
$39 079.27
$41 615.49
$48 256.69
Total Available working hours (7.6 hour day)
1368
1368
1368
1634
Hourly cost to employer
$24.84
$28.57
$30.42
$29.53
Plus: Other costs
Travel (190 days)
Fares (178) days) @ $17.87/day
Superannuation 9.5%
Annual leave loading (17.5%)
Plus: On-costs
$3758.92
$3401.99
$3936.48
$4226.17
Calculations are based on award wages and potential
total working days in a calendar year.
Recruitment
Services
NECA Education and Careers offers a recruitment service for
companies who do not wish to use the Group Training Model.
Let us assist you by recruiting your apprentice. This way you’re
reducing the risk of employing an unsuitable apprentice while
working with industry experts.
NECA Education and Careers will:
• Advertise the position
• Take applications
• Conduct phone screen
• Conduct interviews
• Conduct reference checks
• Organise a medical test
• Organise an aptitude test/NECA Pre-selection Test
• Organise a mechanical aptitude test.
You will then interview and select the candidate you wish to
employ.
“I would recommend NECA Education and
Careers for all electrical employers...the
apprentices are fantastic and its nice and easy,
one invoice at the end of week. We have had
apprentices for up to three years and have gone
on to employ a number of their apprentices ”.
Brett Turner - Projex
Apprentice
Management
Program
Many employers commit to leasing an
apprentice for various periods of time
depending on their needs. The Apprenticeship
Management Program (AMP) is where you
commit to an apprentice for the term of their
apprenticeship. You will receive a discounted
charge-out rate*, less stress, no pay role tax
plus we manage everything for you, leaving you
to do what you do best!
Employment
HR Consulting
Employer Support
Initially NECA Education and Careers will meet with you to
understand:
• Your business
• Your apprentice requirements
• Scope of the business and how best the apprentice will
assist
• Your business culture
• Areas of training.
From there, we will move on to the recruitment process.
Recruitment
NECA Education and Careers will then undertake the
recruitment process including:
• Advertising and screening
• First round interviews
• Aptitude testing
• Reference checks/police checks/working with children
checks
• Short list candidates to meet your criteria.
You will then interview and select the candidate you wish to
employ.
*conditions apply
Recruitment &
Selection
Induction
Once an apprentice commences, NECA Education and Careers
will manage and carry out all administration relating to:
• Payroll
• Employee file management
• Training coordination and management
• Group certificates
• Superannuation
• WorkCover/OH&S
• Human resources
• Government reporting.
Our service and guidance is not limited to the above including:
• Providing progress reports on profiling and schooling results
• Quarterly reports on the apprentices progression on and off
the job.
NECA Education and Careers Industry Careers Coordinators
pride themselves on delivering high quality and expert advice
in a timely and professional manner. We are always available to
discuss your business and staffing needs to assist you reaching
your goals.
Apprentice Support
Throughout the program NECA Education and Careers will:
• Conduct induction (including medical)
• Assist with OH&S
• Provide mentoring
• Coordinate and manage training
• Offer career guidance.
Cost
The above program is a cost effective method of employing and
monitoring your apprentice needs and requirements.
Employment
Mentoring and
Monitoring
For more information,
contact NECA Education & Careers
T 1300 827 832 | E info@necaeducation.com.au
Victoria
1024 Lygon Street,
Carlton North VIC 3054
Tasmania
4 Rooke Street,
Devonport TAS 7310
Suite 11, Level 1, 2 Bayfield Street,
Rosny Park TAS 7018
Information in this publication is correct at the time of printing but may be
subject to change. ABN: 53 054 944 366
necaeducation.com.au