Learn AT Lunch Program

For Apprentices and Trainees starting their journey.

Starting a new job comes with a lot of change and a lot of things to keep track of.  Do you know how to apply for Annual Leave, does your payslip show all of the required information, and do you know what to do if you are sick on a day you are meant to attend TAFE/RTO?

Our handy checklist asks you a bunch of questions about your employment and training arrangements, that you need to know the answer to.

If there is something on this checklist that you don’t know the answer to, the first place to ask is your supervisor at work.  Of course, if you’d rather speak with someone unconnected to your workplace, you can contact Apprenticeships Support Australia’s Mentoring Team, and they will help you with any questions you have.

The Street Smarthandbook is a practical life guide to help prepare you for life after school.

The handbook covers important topics from sexual health and the effects of drug and alcohol abuse to legal rights and applying for a loan.

It offers information specific to the school leaver, providing invaluable assistance for those who are considering buying their first car or living away from home. The handbook is also a handy guide for teens that are pondering their future career choices and supplies them with advice on apprenticeships, university and TAFE. It provides teens with straightforward, factual information about issues that they will face.

The information contained in the Street Smarthandbook is written by a collection of topical experts.

A quick guide to starting a new job.

Check out this great resource produced in conjunction with CCIWA.  This guide will give you the low down on important information to be successful at work AND at life.

The sections on tax and superannuation are especially interesting … Said no-one ever – but read this stuff anyway, because getting this right early on will make a huge difference in your life.

Top tips for succeding that you can apply today.

Find out some great advice from RTO’s Betterlink and MPA Skills about how to succeed in your off-the-job learning.

Who are Betterlink and MPA Skills?

Betterlink are a Registered Training Organisation, delivering nationally accredited and customized training in the specialist areas of leadership and management, human resources, career development, employment services and community services.

MPA Skills Plumbing & Painting Training and Apprentice Employment, is a Group Training Organisation and Registered Training Organisation.

At MPA Skills, we offer a range of training opportunities, from school based and full-time pre-apprenticeship programs, apprenticeship courses to advanced training courses.

We are also the largest employer of plumbing and painting apprentices in Western Australia, and our Labour Force organisation offers our highly skilled tradespersons employment opportunities.

The team at CTC have created a heap of short videos to help you understand the world of tax!

Don’t know if you can claim mileage? There’s a video for that. Am I allowed to claim for study expenses? There’s a video for that too!

Jump on their Youtube channel and check out their very handy bite-sized videos on tax information, and you’ll be ahead of the pack!

Tax time can be a bit daunting for anyone, whether it’s your first time or your 15th!

Tax rules change, your personal circumstances change, and we all get well-intentioned but ultimately unreliable advise from family and friends.

Some people will seek out an accountant to help them complete their tax return, while others are confident and experienced enough to do their own return. If you are still trying to figure things out, the team at Curtin Tax Clinic are here to help.

Curtin Tax Clinic provides a free tax consultation service and have offered their services to you as an apprentice/trainee with Apprenticeship Support Australia.

You will need to submit an online application form, and once your support has been confirmed, you can book a consultation with a CTC staff member and student volunteer.

Make sure you ask them for any tips on spending or receipts for next years tax return.

Alternatively, you can check out their handy tax essentials booklet for some great information to get you started.

The TSL is available to assist apprentices to manage with everyday costs. It’s important to realise that the loan is not paid as a lump sum, but is issued as a monthly payment to top up income.

Eligibility for the TSL is limited to occupations on the Trade Support Loans Priority List.

Please check out our guide for more information about the Trade Support Loan and other financial entitlements for WA apprentices and trainees.

If you are struggling to pay your bills each week, please reach out and speak with one of our mentors to see how they can help.

Did you know that as an Apprentice, you can access some great discounts to build your tool kit? Check out some of these retailers to see how much you can save today:

1. Bunnings: PowerPass Apprentice has been designed just for apprentices. It gives access to all the great benefits that Bunnings Trade PowerPass customers receive, but without having to wait until you’ve completed your apprenticeship. Find out more and join here for free.

2. Jimy Tools: Apprentice “AAA” Program – “Aussie Apprentice Appreciation” or “AAA” program for short, gives apprentices the chance to purchase High Quality, Career Spanning Jimy Tool Kits and receive additional rewards when you purchase a Jimy Tools tool kit. Find out more and apply for their Apprentice ‘AAA’ Program here.

3. Sidchrome: Redemption deals available in the Apprentice Zone. This is a limited offer and is valid for products purchased from 04/10/2022 – 31/05/2023, and can be redeemed online until 14/06/2023.  Complete your redemption form here.

The team at CTC are currently developing information specific to apprentices and trainees, looking at:

• The importance of lodging your tax return and how to do it
• Identifying legitimate work related expenses/self-education expenses
• Substantiation: What evidence can you use for deductions and expenses
• Superannuation: Smart decisions now will seriously impact your life later on
• Basic Budgeting: Making a budget wort for you

We are planning for a webinar early 2023 so stay tuned!

Do you ever feel like something’s not quite right but you can’t figure out what it is or what to do? The Wellness Wheel is a great, simple tool to look at a couple of areas of life and reflect on which areas may need a little attention.

We like to think of it like the spokes on a bike wheel. If one of the spokes is not as strong as the others, the wheel can start to wobble, and the other spokes start to weaken.

By using the Wellness Wheel Tool, it can help you keep your spokes strong by looking at the areas of life that may be causing you unbalance and provide you with helpful ways to get you back on track.

And don’t forget, you can always reach out to the Mentoring team if you need some extra help with any of your spokes!

Louise is a Qualified Heavy Vehicle and Plant Mechanic, and has put together some great words of wisdom on how to protect your body for the long term.

Working in a physical trade can mean you are faced with many different risks compared to working in an office, so you need to take extra care of your body.

Why not check out Louise’s 5 minute video on YouTube and hear her guidance on lifting, food, skin and sleep.

Did you know there is actual science behind happiness? Neither did we!

Well, the smart people at Yale have done a lot of research in this area, and have created a FREE short course designed to increase your own happiness and help you build more productive habits. Why not take a look?

Oh, and they’ve even created a tailored FREE 6 week course for teens! If you want to be happier, feel less stressed and discover how to thrive, you can find out how by using the link below.