Domino’s employees claim they were pressured into taking on traineeships which netted owners $5 million in government incentives

Domino’s workers have lifted the lid on how they were allegedly pressured into signing onto traineeships that resulted in lower pay rates and no additional training.

Josiah Helyard claims he was pressured into signing up to a traineeship. Picture: Dean Martin

A Domino’s franchisee with 12 outlets in SA allegedly pressured young employees to sign up to traineeships while taking millions of dollars in federal government incentives under a former Liberal government apprenticeship program.

Announced as part of the Morrison government’s economic response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC) program aimed to support employers to take on new apprentices and trainees by providing a wage subsidy.

However, some businesses benefited from the scheme by paying staff at reduced hourly traineeship rates, providing little to no training, while also receiving taxpayer dollars to subsidise their own wage costs.

Josiah Helyard began working at Domino’s Pizza Golden Grove in September of 2018, when he was 18-years-old.

Mark Peter Johnson – the sole director of Team Van Diemen SA Pty Limited – took over the business in 2022.

Mr Helyard said management began to pressure staff to sign up to the traineeship

after the ownership change.

“Within two months they were saying, there’s this traineeship available and you will be guaranteed 15 hours on a part time basis,” Mr Helyard said.

“I was like great, I want guaranteed hours.”

“I remember having a meeting … there were people from other stores that [Mr Johnson] owned.

Mr Helyard said Domino’s staff were also told they would be allocated time during their shifts to attend training but no sessions were ever offered. Picture: Dean Martin

“We all signed the traineeship together.

Mr Helyard said staff were also told they would be allocated time during their shifts to attend training but no sessions were ever offered.

“I never heard anything, no one ever organised anything and so I left after five months,” he said.

Lachlan Edwards had a similar experience, starting work with Domino’s at Hollywood Plaza when he was 17.

Text messages between Mr Edwards and store management show he was not interested in the traineeship.

However, he was told he could only receive a permanent part time contract if he agreed to sign up to the qualification and that “there’s not as many hours available without part time employment”.

Lachlan Edwards said he was pushed into signing up for a traineeship at Domino’s Pizza in order to be employed on a permanent part time basis. Picture: Supplied

Domino’s franchisee Team Van Diemen SA received around $5 million in traineeship incentives from the federal government. Picture: Supplied

Data provided by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations shows Team Van Diemen Pty Ltd received $5 million in incentive payments across its South Australian and Tasmanian operations.

A Domino’s spokeswoman said the company was “committed to ensuring compliance with workplace obligations and did not condone the misuse of traineeships in any circumstances”.

Federal Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles blasted the BAC program together with its counterpart – the Completing Apprenticeship Commencements program – saying apprenticeships need to deliver useful skills and support to trainees.

“Good governments invest in people, not dodgy operators who don’t care about apprentices and trainees,” he said.

“We have had a laser-like focus on investing in Australians to gain skills in the areas they want, and our nation needs.”

Originally published as Domino’s employees claim they were pressured into taking on traineeships which netted owners $5 million in government incentives