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#Supporting Trainees with Disabilities

Giving someone with a disability an opportunity isn鈥檛 just a good deed, it is a powerful business decision.

When you open your doors to diverse talent, you gain loyal, highly resilient employees who bring unique problem-solving perspectives to your team, which naturally drives up workplace morale and productivity.

For the individual, a traineeship offers financial independence, a sense of purpose, and a formal career pathway that can transform their life.

On a broader scale, moving capable people from welfare into meaningful employment strengthens the national economy, reduces the skills shortage, and builds a more inclusive society.

Ultimately, fostering diversity creates a workplace culture where everyone wins, and it simply represents the right way to do business.

To help make this transition seamless and successful, the Australian Government provides practical assistance through DAAWS (Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support). This program ensures you have the resources to support your trainee every step of the way.

Note: The following information is provided for awareness only, and all information should be checked with an authorised Apprentice Connect Australia Provider (ACAP). Please see the full disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

#Access Extra Wage Support with DAAWS

The Australian Government provides extra, direct financial support to businesses that hire or upskill trainees with a disability.

It is called DAAWS (Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support), and it is designed to help your business build a diverse, highly capable team while significantly offsetting your payroll costs.

#What DAAWS Means for Your Business:

• Direct Cash Subsidies: Receive weekly wage support paid directly into your business account to offset operational costs.

• Fully Funded Training Assistance: Access 100% government-funded tutorial, mentoring, and interpreter services so your trainee has everything they need to succeed in their coursework.

• Injury & Retention Security: DAAWS can also be unlocked if an existing team member acquires a disability or health condition and enters a training pathway, helping you retain experienced staff.

#Direct Financial Wage Support

DAAWS is an entitlement-based financial subsidy paid directly to the employer to offset the cost of hosting a trainee who requires extra workplace considerations.

• The Subsidy Amount: Employers receive a set weekly rate, which sits at $226.01 per week for a full-time trainee.

• Part-Time Trainees: Payments are calculated on a pro-rata basis according to the exact number of hours worked each week.

• Indexation: The exact payment figures are adjusted annually on 1 July in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

• Wage Rule: The total DAAWS claim amount cannot exceed the physical wages you pay the trainee during that claim cycle.

#Strict Eligibility and Assessment Rules

To protect the integrity of the program, the federal government enforces rigid parameters around who can claim DAAWS.

• Medical Diagnosis: The trainee's condition must be formally assessed and diagnosed by a registered medical practitioner or registered psychologist. School counsellor or general third-party advice is not legally accepted.

• Existing Staff: If an existing employee suffers a permanent or temporary injury/illness during their employment, the business can apply to transition them onto DAAWS to keep them safely employed.

• Duration: Funding is provided for 12 months for long-term or permanent conditions, or tailored to a specific window for temporary medical recoveries.

#How Employers Apply

You cannot apply for DAAWS independently; it must be set up right at the beginning of the traineeship structure.

1. Inform the Provider: During the initial sign-up, the employer or trainee must notify their assigned of the medical condition or disability.

2. System Generation: The provider verifies the core documentation and manually creates a DAAWS eligibility application inside the federal Apprenticeships Data Management System (ADMS) portal.

3. Employer Sign-off: The employer logs into their company ADMS profile, reviews the generated forms, and formally submits the claim for automated processing.

#Additional Workplace and RTO Support Services

Beyond direct wage help, DAAWS unlocks free, government-funded resources to ensure the trainee succeeds in both practical work and institutional study.

• Tutorial and Mentor Services: If a trainee struggles with the academic components of their coursework, funding is directed to the RTO to supply targeted tutoring or industry mentors.

• Interpreter Services: Fully funds Auslan interpreters or specialised communication devices for trainees who are deaf or hard of hearing.

• Workplace Modifications: Connects employers to the to pay for physical workplace alterations, vehicle modifications, or adaptive computer hardware.

Disclaimer: Regulatory frameworks, eligibility criteria, and government subsidy rates (including DAAWS indexation caps) are subject to ongoing updates by federal authorities. The information on this page is provided for general guidance and reference purposes only.

Because DAAWS applications strictly require independent formal medical assessments and cannot be retrospectively backdated by law, employers must verify eligibility and submission deadlines directly with an authorised Apprentice Connect Australia Provider (ACAP) or via the secure Apprenticeships Data Management System (ADMS) portal prior to commencing training.

ACCM College does not assess, collect, or store employee medical documentation or administer wage subsidy approvals.

ACCM accepts no liability for missed, delayed, or rejected funding claims resulting from late or non-compliant employer portal registrations.