Employing a school-based apprentice or trainee
Who can employ a school-based apprentice or trainee?
What is the probationary period?
What is the training contract?
What is the training plan?
What is the training record?
How much does it cost?
What happens when school finishes?
How do I recruit a school-based apprentice or trainee?
Who can employ a school-based apprentice or trainee?
The same eligibility requirements apply to employers of school-based apprentices or trainees as employers of other apprentices and trainees.
An employer can employ a school-based apprentice or trainee on the condition that they are able to provide the appropriate workplace facilities and range of work for the apprenticeship or traineeship qualification.
Employers must also provide adequate supervision and deliver on-the-job training to the school-based apprentice or trainee.
The supervising registered training organisation (SRTO) is responsible for developing a training plan in consultation with the employer, school-based apprentice or trainee and the school.
The training plan outlines the training and supervision requirements that the employer and SRTO are required to provide to the apprentice or trainee.
Employers have a number of other responsibilities to fulfil during the apprenticeship or traineeship.
What is the probationary period?
Each school-based apprenticeship and traineeship (SAT) has a probationary period. This allows the employer and the student time to work together and decide whether to continue with the SAT.
Probation begins on the day the employer and student agree to start the SAT. The probation period usually lasts 90 days for school-based apprentices and 30 days for school-based trainees.
Before the end of probation, it is important that the employer and the student decide whether they want to continue with the SAT.
If both parties decide to continue, they are agreeing to work together for the length of the training contract. If during the probationary period the employer does not wish to continue with the apprenticeship or traineeship, they are able to terminate the contract by giving one week's notice.
If more time is required to decide whether it is suitable to continue with the SAT, the employer can choose to extend the probation period. Employers must contact the Department of Education and Training, through Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 before the end of the probation period if they wish to extend the contract.
To learn more, read the information sheet on probationary periods.
What is the training contract?
A training contract legally binds the employer and the school-based apprentice or trainee for the duration of the apprenticeship or traineeship.
It must be signed by the employer, the student and their parent or guardian and then forwarded for registration, via an Australian Apprenticeships Centre, to the Department of Education and Training (DET).
The contract records the employer's details, the student's details, the name of the apprenticeship or traineeship, the commencement date and the name of the SRTO.
Training contracts should be lodged with an Australian Apprenticeships Centre who can advise the employer, the student and their guardian on the rights and responsibilities of the parties to the training contract, answer questions about the information required in the training contract and arrange for the contract to be forwarded to the department.
The training contract must be completed during the probationary period and submitted within one month after the probationary period ends. If the training contract is not completed and submitted within the specified period, the apprenticeship or traineeship may not be registered.
To learn more, read the information sheet on training contracts.
What is the training plan?
The training plan is a document compiled by the employer, student and SRTO that outlines training for school-based apprentices and trainees.
The training plan also details a schedule of when the school-based apprentice or trainee will attend work, school and training. This schedule is referred to as the education, training and employment schedule (ETES).
The training plan must be negotiated and the contents agreed to by the employer, SAT, school and SRTO. A properly negotiated training plan and ETES provides a structured approach to the development and attainment of skills for a particular qualification and should:
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provide an opportunity to select what, how, when and where skills will be achieved
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provide a measure to assess an apprentice's or trainee's progress
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assist in managing, planning and mapping work rotation
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indicate when the school-based apprentice or trainee will attend work, school and training.
It is important that the skills required for the school-based apprentice or trainee to perform the job competently, are identified in the training plan.
To learn more, read the information sheet on training plans.
What is the training record?
The purpose of the training record is to record the progress and achievement of competencies, as outlined in the training plan, by the school-based apprentice or trainee.
The SRTO will provide a training record to the school-based apprentice or trainee. The training record may be in the form of a book, on CD-ROM, or in another format. It should be used to record when the student achieves the competencies outlined in their training plan.
The student is responsible for looking after the training record. The employer is responsible for recording the new skills the apprentice or trainee acquires.
The training record must be regularly updated and signed by the employer and training organisation (at least every three months).
To learn more, refer to the information sheet on training records.
How much does it cost?
School-based apprentices' or trainees' wages are a percentage of the relevant full-time apprentice or trainee wage calculated on the number of hours the student works each week.
School-based apprentices and trainees do not receive entitlements to sick leave, recreation leave (holidays) or public holidays. However, they are paid a loading on top of their wage to make up for not receiving these entitlements.
A school-based apprentice or trainee is only paid for the time spent at work. They do not get paid for the time spent undertaking any off-the-job training.
School-based apprentices or trainees must work and be paid for a minimum of 48 days in each year of their school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT).
For information relating to wages and conditions visit the Wages and conditions section on the Wageline website or phone Wageline on 1300 369 945.
What happens when school finishes?
Some school-based trainees will complete their traineeships while they are at school. Many will still be in the middle of their training when they finish school.
School-based apprentices and trainees who do not complete their qualifications while at school will need to switch to a full-time or part-time apprenticeship or traineeship when they finish school to allow them to complete the qualification.
Once the school-based apprentice or trainee switches to full-time or part-time arrangements, normal award wages and conditions apply.
The Amendment of school-based training contract form [PDF 112kb] should be completed to notify the department of the conversion.
How do I recruit a school-based apprentice or trainee?
Recruiting a school-based apprentice or trainee is very similar to recruiting any other employee.
Apprentices and trainees can be employed directly, or you can become a host employer through a group training organisation. Please refer to the Group Training Organisation website, or phone 1800 819 747 for further details. School-based apprentices and trainees can be recruited by:
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contacting a local school or cluster group (also known as school-industry partnerships), which may have students interested in a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT)
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informing people in your industry or your community that you are looking for a school-based apprentice or trainee.
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placing an advertisement in the paper or on the Australian Job Search website
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offering a SAT to a student with your organisation
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contacting a group training organisation
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using a private recruitment company or an online recruitment service
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recruiting an Indigenous person through the Indigenous Employment Service
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phoning the Job Network employer line on 13 17 15, or by finding a Job Network Service Provider in your local area.