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Creating partnerships

Always remember that you are not alone! There are government organisations that can assist with connecting schools, employers and students.

Schools should also consider building informal partnerships with their local community to assist with their school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs) program.

Some ideas include:

Build relationships with your Australian Apprenticeships Centres (AAC), Local Community Partnerships (LCP) or Regional Industry Career Advisors (RICA). They can provide support and links to industry and employers, such as hosting industry and school breakfasts.
Build relationships with your local TAFE or RTO, perhaps in collaboration with other schools. Together you could help plan courses and timetables that suit schools, employers and students.
Group Training Organisations can also be great allies. They can provide access to a wide range of host employers and assist students in gaining employment in the industry of their choice. To find Group Training Organisations that operate in your area, call 1800 819 747 or visit the Training website.
Go to Who's who for more ideas on those contacts that can make your job easier.
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Work with employers

Encourage employers to visit the school to talk to students about their industry or business. They could conduct demonstrations or hold talks to promote different occupations or careers.
Why not invite local SATs employers to your school to participate in a breakfast or morning tea to thank them for their support?
Many schools find that organising work placements before students sign-up to a SAT helps the students to understand the nature of the work and develop a commitment to their SAT. Employers benefit as well by having a chance to assess students as future employees.
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Partnering with other schools

Work collaboratively with neighbouring schools to identify opportunities which may reduce duplication in some areas.
Organise to share information so that employers don't have to call every school when they have a vacancy. This also means there is a better chance of a student finding the SAT they want.
There may be opportunities to cluster with other schools to deliver school subjects, provide a supervised study area, or to allow an RTO to deliver SAT competencies.

Case study
More than 20 per cent of Centenary Heights State High School's Year 11 and 12 students are undertaking a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT). Head of Senior Schooling, Tim Ryan, attributes the program's success to four factors: building relationships with employers encouraging students to use their networks to find positions having school personnel who work the hours that employers need offering a three-day program. "Our employers realise that we're fair dinkum, and that we are in it for the long term," Tim said.

Case study

More than 20 per cent of Centenary Heights State High School's Year 11 and 12 students are undertaking a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT).

Head of Senior Schooling, Tim Ryan, attributes the program's success to four factors:

building relationships with employers
encouraging students to use their networks to find positions
having school personnel who work the hours that employers need
offering a three-day program.

"Our employers realise that we're fair dinkum, and that we are in it for the long term," Tim said.

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This page was last updated at 11-September-2009