Plumbing Apprenticeship Information

Careers Info

Are you thinking about becoming a plumber? There are two ways to become an apprentice.

  • Apply to Master Plumbers apprentice schemes such as Plumbing Apprenticeships Victoria or Plumbing Apprentices Queensland
  • Seek employment with a plumbing company directly

Vacancies for both are advertised widely, including on websites such as Seek.

Apprentices increase their chance of success if they:

  • have completed a Pre-Apprenticeship in Plumbing or have experience working with their hands;
  • hold a valid driver’s license;
  • have a vehicle to enable transport to and from site/work.

An apprenticeship requires you to commit to attending work and Trade School (your Registered Training Organisation), for a nominal duration of 4 years.

In return you can expect:

  • to be paid at least the rates provided by MA000036 Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award;
  • to be provided with support and supervision for your day-to-day training to give you every opportunity to complete your apprenticeship;
  • to be paid for your time off work to attend Trade School;
  • a safe working environment

Master Plumbers pays above Award to attract the best apprentices and places you in a variety of work environments to work with host employers who can teach you different aspects of plumbing.

As part of your plumbing apprenticeship you are required to undertake the CPC32420 Certificate III in plumbing qualification at Registered Training Organisation (RTO). The qualification is delivered in a general or mechanical services stream dependent on the requirements of your job.

At the time of your training contract sign up you should discuss with your employer where you should complete your off-the-job training.

In Victoria there are 16 registered training organisations to choose from.

Training providers in Victorian are located in the metropolitan and regional areas.

Master Plumbers
Box Hill Institute
Bendigo Tafe
Chisholm
The Gordon
Federation University (Ballarat)
Federation Training (Gippsland)
Holmesglen
Swinburne University
RMIT
Melbourne Polytechnic
Victoria Polytechnic
South West Tafe
GO Tafe
Sunraysia Institute of Tafe

For more information on approved training providers, visit these websites: training.gov.au

TAFE Queensland

PICAC Beenleigh

Interstate apprentices moving to Victoria are encouraged to consider all local training options. Victoria offers a wide range of metropolitan and regional training options from industry-approved Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and Group Training Organisations (GTOs)

If you need to change your RTO discuss this with your employer and your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) provider

If you are looking for an apprenticeship you also have the option of going a Group Training Organisation like Master Plumber’s GTOs, Plumbing Apprenticeships Victoria or Plumbing Apprentices Queensland that will handle your RTO needs as well as your employment as an apprentice.

Compliance

For information about government regulations, go to the Fair Work Ombudsman website. With tools such as Award Finder and PayCheck, they can help you find the award that applies to your work. For detailed information about your situation and needs, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman direct.

 

Award: Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2010 (MA000036)

All employees are entitled to a minimum wage (outlined below), and a set of entitlements, known as the National Employment Standards (NES).

Base hourly rate of pay

Inc. Allow: Hourly wage inclusive of all purpose allowances: Industry allowance, Plumbing Trade allowance(%), Tool allowance(%) at appropriate rates.

In some circumstances, the rates that PAV will pay apprentices may be slightly higher than the award.

Below are the rates applicable to PAV apprentices. Please note that the Award allows for lower rates of pay for apprentices who have not completed Year 12 than PAV pays.

Year
Adult Apprentice
Apprentice
  Base Inc. Allow Base Inc. Allow
1
 $23.23 $24.20 $14.40 $16.13
2
 $23.23 $24.20 $17.02 $18.89
3
 $23.23 $24.20 $18.33 $20.27
4
 $23.57 $25.79 $23.57 $25.79

Full time apprentices will be rostered to work maximum of 40 hours per week, and these hours are known as ‘Ordinary hours’. The usual system of work under this award is to accrue 0.4 hours of each day toward an RDO instead of being paid, but this can be varied by agreement.
For example, if an apprentice works a 40 hour work week, they will be paid for 38 hours, and 2 hours will be put in their RDO bank. In the fourth week, there will be enough hours banked for the apprentice to take an RDO.

Loadings
Applies
Payment
Ordinary hours 6:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday Ordinary Hours(ORD)
Ordinary hours Midnight Friday to midnight Saturday ORD +50% (Time and a half) for the first 2 hours then ORD + 100%
Ordinary hours Midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday ORD + 100% (double time)
Trade School Attendance at Trade School  on a work day ORD
Public Holiday Hours worked as part of a work week on a public holiday ORD + 150% (double and a half time)

For the purpose of this award shiftworker means an employee who works ordinary hours any shift finishing after 6:00pm and at or before 6:00am.

A continuous shiftworker is defined as someone who works in a system of consecutive shifts throughout the 24 hours of each of at least 6 consecutive days without interruption, and is regularly rostered to work those shifts. Continuous shiftworkers are entitled to an extra week of annual leave per year.

Loadings
Applies
Payment
Ordinary hours Midnight Sunday to Midnight Friday for 5 consecutive shifts, with more than 48 hours notice Ordinary hours (ORD) + 33%
Ordinary hours Given less than 48hours notice, or works midnight Sunday to midnight Friday for less than 5 consecutive shifts ORD + 50% (time and a half) for the first 2 hours, them ORD + 100% (double time)
Ordinary hours Saturday ORD + 50% (time and a half) for the first 2 hours, them ORD + 100% (double time)
Ordinary hours Sunday ORD + 100%
Trade School Attendance at Trade School on a work day ORD
Public holiday Hours worked as part of a work week on a public holiday ORD + 150% (double and a half time)

If an employee is asked to stay back, or is called in on his/her off day, this is known as “overtime”.

Overtime
Payment
Work outside ordinary hours Time and a half for the first 2 hours, then Double Time. If overtime commences between midnight and commencement of ordinary hours, Double time is paid.
Saturday Time and a half for the first 2 hours, then Double Time. All hours worked after 12 noon paid at Double time. Minimum of 3 hours paid.
Sunday Double time, minimum of 4 hours paid.
Public Holidays Double time and a half, minimum of 4 hours paid.

All employees are entitled to minimum break conditions, as set out below

Breaks
Time
Conditions
Daily rest break 10 minutes (paid) Between 9-11am
Washing time 5 mines (10 mins) (paid) Immediately before lunch and before finishing time. 10 minutes if handling toxic substances
Hot/Cold work break 20 minutes (paid) Every 2 hours
Meal break 30-45 minutes (unpaid) Between noon and 1pm
Working during a meal break   Double time until the meal break is taken
Meal break (overtime after ordinary hours) 20 minutes (paid) Between normal shift and overtime if more than 2 hours overtime is to be worked. A further paid break of 30 minutes is provided if overtime continues fo more than 4 hours
Meal break (overtime on weekend and public holiday) 20 minutes (paid) After 4 hours

 

Breaks (shiftwork)
Time
Conditions
Meal break 30+ minutes Taken no more than 5 hours after the shift starts (unpaid)
Rest break 10 minutes Taken no more than 2 hours after the shift starts (paid)

For more information about other allowances which may be applicable, including all purpose allowances, and see the allowances section of the award

Allowances
Amount
Applies
Fares   When an employe is required to get to and from a job using own means of transport
First Aid    
    If working 1.5 hours or more overtime after ordinary hours. Additional amount payable for each additional 4 hours of overtime worked if meals not supplied by the employer
Motor Vehicle Allowance   An employee who is required to use his own private motor vehicle for work purposes
Travel Time   Time compensation for travelling to a job, regardless of means of transport within 50km