Engagement of apprentices. (a) The Parties commit to their ongoing responsibility to contribute to the training of new tradespersons for the building and construction industry.
(b) Further, the Parties are committed to a strong ratio of apprentices in the industry including a commitment to ensuring greater representation of First Nations and female apprentices.
(c) So far as practical, the Employer will engage apprentices such that there are equal numbers of first, second and Third Year Apprentices.
(d) Where the Employer has employed ten (10) or more tradespersons in any one classification, the Employer must engage at least one (1) apprentice in that classification for each ten (10) tradespersons employed up to 30 tradespersons, and following this, engage one (1) apprentice for every further 20 tradespersons.
(e) The Employer will make arrangements to host apprentices from an accredited apprenticeship scheme, as agreed with the Union (unless that it is impracticable to do so).
(f) All apprentices must attend their official off-site apprenticeship training at a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that is acceptable to the apprentice and Employer. The preferred RTOs are the established TAFE College network, but private RTOs may be used if agreed to by the Union. For clarity, apprentices will be paid the applicable wages and conditions (ordinary hourly rate of pay, fares and travel allowance, leave, redundancy and superannuation entitlements) prescribed by this Agreement whilst attending their training at the RTO.
Engagement of apprentices. ENERGEX will maintain in the Technical Stream an average minimum number of 280 apprentices during the life of the agreement. Following the nominal expiry date of this agreement, 21 November 2014, Energex will continue to engage a number of suitable persons (internal or external persons), into apprentice positions, in accordance with the business needs of Energex. The number of persons to be engaged as apprentices will be 32 per annum. For the life of this Agreement ENERGEX will:
a. Continue with the Apprentice Training Program for the existing apprentices who are indentured as at 30 July 2013;
b. From 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2014, make an offer to 50% of graduating apprentices (based on original graduating numbers), one of the following options: appointment to a permanent position (subject to business needs); or six months fixed term employment.
c. Subject to satisfactory completion and performance, from July 2014 to the expiry of this agreement, make an offer to 100% of graduating apprentices, of one of the following options: appointment to a permanent position (subject to business needs); or six months fixed term employment.
d. In line with clause 13.5.3 Vehicle Licence of this agreement, facilitate and fund up to 3 heavy rigid vehicle lessons and one attempt at the relevant driving test. A suitable heavy vehicle will be made available for the purposes of the above.
e. Effective from the date of variation of this Agreement, apprentices will be counted as employees for the purposes of determining eligibility to the Employee In Charge Allowance, Clause 6.6 of this Agreement.
