Vocational Pathways may begin as early as Year 10 with the opportunity for students to engage in school-based apprenticeships and traineeships. This usually means that participating students spend one or two days at a workplace where they are earning at trainee rates and learning on the job skills and from certificate course work delivered by the local TAFE or a private provider.
There are many vocational areas that are covered by these arrangements. These include traineeships in Retail Operations, Hospitality Operations, Horticulture, Tyre Fitting, Business Administration (Law), Auto Mechanics and Servicing, and Early Childhood, and apprenticeships in Auto Mechanics, Electrotechnology, Heavy Vehicle Diesel Fitting, Carpentry, Commercial Cookery and Sheet Metal Fabrication. 2021 graduate Josiah (pictured above) secured an apprenticeship at J&P Richardson Industries after completing work experience as part of his Certificate II in Electrotechnology in Year 11.
These are great opportunities for students to take part in career focussed learning while they continue their study at school.
The policy for school-based apprenticeships and traineeships are as follows:
- Minimum of 50 paid working days per 12 month period
- For a school-based trainee to complete in less than 12 months they must have had a minimum of 50 days paid employment in the workplace
- School-based apprentices and trainees can work more than the minimum by working weekends, school holidays, after school shifts, etc.
It is unlikely an apprenticeship would be completed before a student left school, in exceptional circumstances it may occur but would be reviewed by a DETE officer prior to being able to complete the apprenticeship.
A working day is defined as 7.6 hrs (unless a greater figure is stipulated in the relevant industrial award).
To meet Queensland definitional requirements for school-based apprentice or trainee (SAT), a working day is calculated based on the equivalent full time hours in the relevant award, in most cases, 38 ordinary hours worked over a 5 day week where a day is equivalent to 7.6 hours.
The hours may be averaged over a 4 week period if required (minimum and maximum hours provided in any single day must comply with the relevant industrial award)
Key Points
- Apprenticeships and traineeships are employment based pathways towards a qualification.
- The employment must be meaningful and allow the school based apprentice or trainee the opportunity to gain a genuine work based experience.
All parties have a responsibility to ensure the integrity of the traineeship and apprenticeship system, if there is an issue notify your local DETE office via Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210.