Would an adult apprentice in Australia get paid more than, say, a 17 year old?

Question

I think they would probably get a little bit more, as they generally have more expenses (rent/mortgage, bills etc) but I was just wondering if anybody knew the average adult wage for an apprentice. And if anyone is doing it, how hard is it to survive on those wages? Would a second job be needed?  I'm just wondering because I'd love to do a baking apprenticeship but I have a mortgage and even if I got a second job, I might find myself financially up the proverbial creek...  Thanks.

toomba · Answer

There used to be a scheme that allowed older apprentices to be paid a little more but even then it was not much more than the dole or pension (like $10-30 more). Your expenses are not important - you are just as unskilled in the area you are training in as a younger apprentice, so your pay is more. The argument that you have a mortgage was one of the arguments that mean a male was paid more than a women doing the exact same job until the late 70s.

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Would an adult apprentice in Australia get paid more than, say, a 17 year old?

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