What Is a Group Training Organisation (and Why It Might Be the Easier Way In)

A Group Training Organisation (GTO) formally employs an apprentice directly, then places them with one or more host businesses to do the actual on-the-job work — rather than the apprentice being employed directly by the business they're working at.

Why that structure matters

If a host business closes, downsizes, or simply isn't the right fit, a GTO can usually re-place the apprentice with a different host business rather than the apprenticeship ending altogether. For someone worried about committing to a single small employer for a multi-year apprenticeship, that's a meaningfully different risk profile.

What to ask a GTO before signing up

• How many host businesses do you place apprentices with in my trade?
• What happens if a placement doesn't work out — how quickly are apprentices re-placed?
• Who handles pay, super, and leave — the GTO or the host business?