Apprentice and Trainee Program

A fresh start for local government apprentices, trainees and cadets

The NSW Government is providing $252.2 million over 6 years to directly support local councils to develop sustainable workforces through the recruitment of trainees, apprentices and cadets..

Local government currently employs more than 50,000 people across the state’s 128 councils and many trainees and apprentices who start their career at councils also go on to work in local industry.

The fresh start for local government apprentices, trainees and cadets program is part of the Government’s goal of increasing the local government workforce by 15%, with new apprentice and trainee roles, focusing on in-demand trades including electricians, plumbers, engineers, civil construction workers, mechanics, planning cadets and many more.

Grant Guidelines

The program’s Grant Guidelines provide detailed information on its purpose and objective, how funding is determined and distributed, and the criteria against which grant applications will be considered.

Applications for the first round of grant funding have closed and successful applicants have been notified. There will be further rounds of funding in 2025.

Information for jobseekers and school leavers

Jobseekers and school leavers
Looking for an apprenticeship, traineeship or cadetship? Councils are now hiring for positions to start in early 2025.

You could:
- Be paid while you learn from experienced mentors
- Gain hands-on experience
- Experience a diverse range of tasks and projects
- Earn a recognised qualification that’s valued in the job market
- Make a positive difference in your community
- Kickstart your future career in local government
Contact your local council today to learn more about opportunities in 2025.
How to apply for an apprenticeship, traineeship or cadetship
If you’re a jobseeker or school leaver and you’re interested in starting an apprenticeship, traineeship or cadetship in local government, contact your local council.

Contact details for councils can be found in the Local Government Directory

You can also look for job ads on council websites and Seek.

The following local government organisations have been successful in the first round of grant funding and are currently or soon to be recruiting for various positions

Organisation	Careers webpage
Albury City Council	https://www.alburycity.nsw.gov.au/ac-careers
Armidale Regional Council	https://www.armidale.nsw.gov.au/Council/Jobs
Ballina Shire Council	https://ballina.nsw.gov.au/positions-vacant
Balranald Shire Council	https://balranald.nsw.gov.au/community/job-vacancies/
Bathurst Regional Council	https://www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers-at-Council
Bayside Council	https://www.bayside.nsw.gov.au/careers/current-vacancies
Bega Valley Shire Council	https://begavalley.nsw.gov.au/council/careers-at-council
Bellingen Shire Council	https://careers.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/bellingen-shire-council/
Berrigan Shire Council	https://www.berriganshire.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers
Blacktown City Council	https://www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/About-Council/Working-for-us/Job-vacancies
Bland Shire Council	https://www.blandshire.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Careers
Blayney Shire Council	https://www.blayney.nsw.gov.au/council/working-with-council/employment-opportunities
Blue Mountains City Council	https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/trainees
Bogan Shire Council	https://bogan.nsw.gov.au/careers
Bourke Shire Council	https://bourke.nsw.gov.au/council/positions-vacant/
Brewarrina Shire Council	https://brewarrina.nsw.gov.au/council/job-opportunities/
Broken Hill City Council	https://www.brokenhill.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers/Positions-Vacant
Burwood Council	https://www.burwood.nsw.gov.au/Our-Council/Careers
Byron Shire Council	https://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/Council/Jobs
Cabonne Council	https://www.cabonne.nsw.gov.au/Council/Positions-Vacant
Camden Council	https://www.camden.nsw.gov.au/
Campbelltown City Council	https://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/Careers/Traineeships-and-apprenticeships
Canterbury Bankstown Council	https://www.cbcity.nsw.gov.au/your-council/careers/trainees-apprentices-and-graduates-program
Central Coast Council	https://www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/about-council/careers
Central Darling Shire Council	https://www.centraldarling.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers-and-Jobs/Careers
Central Tablelands County Council	https://www.ctw.nsw.gov.au/about-us/employment/
Cessnock City Council	https://www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers
City of Canada Bay Council	https://www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au/council/about-council/work-for-us
Newcastle City Council	https://newcastle.nsw.gov.au/about-us/careers/employment-opportunities
City of Parramatta Council	https://www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/council/your-council/careers
City of Ryde Council	https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers
Clarence Valley Council	https://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/Careers
Coffs Harbour City Council	https://www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Work-With-Us
Coonamble Shire Council	https://www.coonambleshire.nsw.gov.au/council/employment
Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council	https://www.cgrc.nsw.gov.au/positions-vacant/
Cumberland City Council	https://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/apprenticeships-and-traineeships
Dungog Shire Council	https://www.dungog.nsw.gov.au/Working-in-Dungog-Shire/Working-at-Council
Edward River Council	https://www.edwardriver.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-With-Council/Careers
Fairfield City Council	https://www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Working-for-Fairfield-City-Council
Forbes Shire Council	https://www.forbes.nsw.gov.au/council/about-council/working-with-council/paid-employment
Georges River Council	https://www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers-en
Gilgandra Shire Council	https://www.gilgandra.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Work-With-Us
Glen Innes Severn Council	https://www.gisc.nsw.gov.au/Council/Jobs-at-Council
Goldenfields Water County Council	https://www.gwcc.nsw.gov.au/About-Us/Our-People/Vacancies
Goulburn Mulwaree Council	https://www.goulburn.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers-at-Council
Greater Hume Shire Council	https://www.greaterhume.nsw.gov.au/Your-Greater-Hume-Council/Careers-With-Us
Griffith City Council	https://www.ezisuite.net/eziJob/Griffith/HRRegistry/default.cfm
Gwydir Shire Council	https://www.gwydir.nsw.gov.au/Council/Positions-Vacant/Gwydir-Career-Start-2025
Hawkesbury City Council	https://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/your-council/careers-at-council
Hilltops Council	https://www.hilltops.nsw.gov.au/council/current-vacancies/
Hornsby Shire Council	https://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/council/about-council/careers
Hunters Hill Council	https://www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-With-Us
Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation	https://isjo.nsw.gov.au/news-media/employment-opportunities/
Inner West Council	https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/work/careers-with-council
Inverell Shire Council	https://inverell.nsw.gov.au/your-council/positions-vacant/
Junee Shire Council	https://www.junee.nsw.gov.au/council/career-opportunities/
Kempsey Shire Council	https://www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Careers
Kiama Municipal Council	https://www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/
Kyogle Council	https://www.kyogle.nsw.gov.au/council-engagement/jobs-news-community-feedback/positions-vacant/
Lachlan Shire Council	https://www.lachlan.nsw.gov.au/Council/Council-Information/Careers
Lake Macquarie City Council	https://www.lakemac.com.au/Our-Council/Careers/Trainee-apprentice-and-cadet-careers
Lane Cove Council	https://www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-With-Council
Leeton Shire Council	https://www.leeton.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Work-With-Us/Jobs
Lismore City Council	https://www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers-at-Council
Liverpool City Council	https://www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/council/careers
Liverpool Plains Shire Council	https://www.liverpoolplains.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-at-Council/Traineeships-apprenticeships-and-cadetships
Lockhart Shire Council	https://lockhart.nsw.gov.au/council/positions-vacant/
Maitland City Council	https://www.maitland.nsw.gov.au/council/jobs-at-council/current-job-opportunities
Mid-Coast Council	https://www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Working-with-us/Current-vacancies
Mid-Western Regional Council	https://www.midwestern.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers
Moree Plains Shire Council	https://www.mpsc.nsw.gov.au/want-a-job/positions-vacant
Mosman Municipal Council	https://mosman.nsw.gov.au/council/employment/current-vacancies
Murray River Council	https://www.murrayriver.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers
Murrumbidgee Council	https://www.murrumbidgee.nsw.gov.au/My-council/Careers-with-council
Muswellbrook Shire Council	https://www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au/vacant-positions/
Nambucca Valley Council	https://nambucca.recruitmenthub.com.au/Vacancies/
Narrabri Shire Council	https://www.narrabri.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/Careers-with-Council/Current-Vacancies
Narrandera Shire Council	https://www.narrandera.nsw.gov.au/council/about-council/working-council
Narromine Shire Council	https://www.narromine.nsw.gov.au/council/employment
North Sydney Council	https://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/council/work-council/1
Northern Beaches Council	https://jobs.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/
Oberon Council	https://www.oberon.nsw.gov.au/Council/Positions-Vacant
Orange City Council	https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/working-at-orange-city-council/
Parkes Shire Council	https://www.parkes.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-at-Council/Cadetships-apprenticeships-and-traineeships
Penrith City Council	https://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/council/careers
Port Macquarie – Hasting Council	https://www.pmhc.nsw.gov.au/Your-Council/About-us/Jobs/Job-vacancies
Port Stephens Council	https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/council/careers/education-and-employment
Randwick City Council	https://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/about-us/jobs/working-for-randwick
Richmond Valley Council	https://richmondvalley.nsw.gov.au/council/working-with-us/positions-vacant/
Riverina Water County Council	https://rwcc.nsw.gov.au/about-us/careers/
Rous County Council	https://rous.nsw.gov.au/careers-at-rous/
Shellharbour City Council	https://www.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/working-here/jobs-council
Singleton Council	https://www.singleton.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers/Traineeships-and-Apprenticeships
Snowy Valleys Council	https://www.snowyvalleys.nsw.gov.au/I-Want-To/Work-for-Council/Careers-with-Council
Strathfield Municipal Council	https://www.strathfield.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-at-Strathfield-Council
Sutherland Shire Council	https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/your-council/work-for-council/apprentice-and-trainee-programs
Tamworth Regional Council	https://www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/work/join-our-team
Temora Shire Council	https://www.temora.nsw.gov.au/Jobs-and-Procurement/Jobs
Tenterfield Shire Council	https://www.tenterfield.nsw.gov.au/your-council/positions-vacant
City of Sydney Council	https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/careers
The Hills Shire Council	https://www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/Council/Conducting-Business-with-Council/Careers
Tweed Shire Council	https://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/council/jobs-careers/job-vacancies
Upper Hunter Shire Council	https://www.upperhunter.nsw.gov.au/Council/Jobs
Upper Lachlan Shire Council	https://upperlachlancareers.com.au/
Uralla Shire Council	https://www.uralla.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-at-Uralla-Shire-Council
Wagga Wagga City Council	https://wagga.nsw.gov.au/the-council/careers/traineeships-and-apprenticeships-at-council
Walcha Council	https://walcha.nsw.gov.au/council/positions-vacant/
Walgett Shire Council	https://www.walgett.nsw.gov.au/Council/Positions-Vacant
Warren Shire Council	https://www.warren.nsw.gov.au/council/employment
Waverley Council	https://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/top/jobs
Weddin Shire Council	https://www.weddin.nsw.gov.au/Council/About-Our-Organisation/Employment
Willoughby City Council	https://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-with-us/Careers
Wingecarribee Shire Council	https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/Council/Careers-at-Council
Wollondilly Shire Council	https://www.ezisuite.net/eziJob/Wollondilly/HRRegistry/default.cfm?act=listVacancies
Wollongong City Council	https://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/council/jobs-at-council/cadets-apprentices-trainees
Woollahra Municipal Council	https://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/Council/Jobs/current-vacancies