Solving problems
All parties involved with a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT) have roles and responsibilities to follow:
Employer responsibilities
School-based apprentice and trainee responsibilities
Supervising registered training organisation (SRTO) responsibilities
Australian Apprenticeships Centres (AAC) responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities provide guidelines for creating a fair, safe and progressive work environment. They also help prevent conflict and misunderstandings.
If you identify a problem, it is important to attempt to resolve it as soon as possible. It is usually best if problems can be worked out directly with the person or organisation concerned. If you have any concerns you can't resolve, don't wait until there is a crisis, contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210.
Solving problems with my employer
I'm not being trained
I'm not being supervised
I'm not being treated fairly
Solving problems with my school-based apprentice or trainee
My school-based apprentice or trainee is failing to make progress
My school-based apprentice or trainee is engaging in misconduct
My school-based apprentice or trainee has been suspended or expelled from school
Issues with safety at work
Solving problems with the supervising registered training organisation (SRTO)
Solving problems with the Australian Apprenticeship Centre (AAC)
Crisis issues
Solving problems with my employer
I'm not being trained
Every school-based apprenticeship and traineeship (SAT) must have a training plan that outlines the training to be provided by both the employer and the supervising registered training organisation (SRTO).
If the school-based apprentice or trainee does not have a signed training plan and the probationary period has ended, contact the SRTO about developing the training plan.
Under the training contract, the employer must deliver training to the school-based apprentice or trainee as required in the training plan. The employer must also allow the school-based apprentice or trainee to participate in the training delivered by the SRTO as outlined in the training plan.
To learn more, read the following information sheets:
For further assistance, contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 or email your query to Apprenticeships Info at apprenticeshipsinfo@qld.gov.au.
I'm not being supervised
School-based apprentices and trainees must be supervised in the workplace. As a general rule, there should be one tradesperson to each school-based apprentice and one qualified person to each school-based trainee. The supervisor must permanently work in the same workplace as the apprentice or trainee during the same working hours.
As the school-based apprentice or trainee develops more skills, they will not need to be supervised as closely as when they first started their school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT). However, a tradesperson or qualified person should always be close enough so that the school-based apprentice or trainee can ask them for assistance if required.
Contact your supervising registered training organisation to discuss any concerns. For more information, read the information sheets below:
If adequate supervision is not being provided, contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 or email your query to Apprenticeships Info at apprenticeshipsinfo@qld.gov.au.
I'm not being treated fairly
All types of bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable in the workplace. If you feel you are being bullied, harassed or discriminated against, or you believe this is occurring in the workplace, you need to do something about it.
Bullying and harassment
Bullying is behaviour that intimidates, offends, degrades or humiliates a worker, possibly in front of co-workers, clients, or customers. The varying nature and level of workplace bullying means people exposed to it can be affected in a number of ways.
Harassment can include workplace bullying, sexual, racial or religious harassment; ridicule (for example, name calling, racist jokes); physical and emotional intimidation (for example, physical threats or abuse, display of threatening or offensive slogans) or restricted access to services and facilities.
For more information regarding the prevention of workplace harassment and bullying, go to the Workplace harassment page on the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations website or contact the department on 1300 369 915.
If you would like further information about fair treatment in the workplace, contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 or email your query to Apprenticeships Info at apprenticeshipsinfo@qld.gov.au.
Discrimination
Discrimination occurs when someone is treated unfairly or badly compared to others, often because they are seen as different. Anti-discrimination laws deal with discrimination in certain areas including, when you apply for a job or are doing work experience, at work, at school, TAFE, university or other place of education, and in dealings with a government department. For more information, contact the Anti-Discrimination Commission on 1300 130 670 or visit the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland website.
If you would like further information about fair treatment in the workplace, contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 or email your query to Apprenticeships Info at apprenticeshipsinfo@qld.gov.au.
Solving problems with my school-based apprentice or trainee
My school-based apprentice or trainee is failing to make reasonable progress
If the school-based apprentice or trainee fails to achieve a particular competency by the scheduled date in their training plan, the supervising registered training organisation (SRTO) should work with the employer and the school-based apprentice or trainee to develop a strategy to assist them to complete the school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.
The strategy could involve extra tuition by the SRTO or the school, and broader workplace experience, for example. If the agreed strategy proves unsuccessful, notify the Department of Education and Training for further assistance by contacting Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210.
Also refer to Learning support for SATs for further information.
My school-based apprentice or trainee is engaging in misconduct
The employer should notify the Queensland Department of Education and Training through Apprenticeships Info before disciplinary action is taken, if the school-based apprentice or trainee:
- fails to carry out a reasonable and lawful instruction consistent with the training contract obligations
- is absent from work without approval
- fails to attend training required under the training plan
- does not participate in training identified in the training plan
- does not keep a training record, or fails to produce the training record on request
- makes unsatisfactory progress in their training
- causes serious damage, or risk of serious damage, to the business or business reputation.
Depending on the situation, a range of actions may be taken by the department. Contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 or by email at apprenticeshipsinfo@qld.gov.au for further assistance.
My school-based apprentice or trainee has been suspended/expelled from school
School-based apprentices and trainees suspended from school remain as students and may continue their apprenticeship or traineeship under school-based arrangements. This suspension should not interfere with the school-based apprentice or trainee's training or employment and may provide an opportunity to increase workplace exposure during the period of suspension.
School-based apprentices and trainees excluded from school, cannot, by definition, remain in their apprenticeship or traineeship under school-based arrangements. It is acknowledged that some excluded students may be able to re-enrol in other schools.
However, for the period of time the apprentice or trainee is not enrolled at school, he/she is either a full-time or part-time apprentice or trainee. In other cases, excluded students forfeit that eligibility and must convert to either full-time or part-time employment or training arrangements. In both cases, an amendment to the training contract is required.
Issues with safety at work
Employers are responsible for the health and safety of school-based apprentices and trainees while in the workplace. Under workplace health and safety legislation, school-based apprentices and trainees also have responsibilities.
School-based apprentices and trainees must:
- comply with health and safety instructions
- use the personal protective equipment provided by your employer
- not recklessly interfere with or misuse provisions made for health and safety
- not place the health and safety of others at risk
- not willfully injure themselves.
The employer must:
- give the school-based apprentice or trainee an introduction to the workplace that covers hazard identification and risk prevention
- provide the school-based apprentice or trainee with training in safe work practices
- provide initial and ongoing supervision
- give the school-based apprentice or trainee any personal and protective equipment within the industrial award, including instructions on how to properly use and wear equipment
- guard hazardous plant and machinery
- prevent and minimise the risk of exposure to hazardous substances and manual handling injuries.
Refer to the Safety at Work information sheet.
Alternatively, please contact the phone the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations on 1800 177 717 or visit the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations website for more information on safety at work.
Solving problems with the supervising registered training organisation (SRTO)
Every school-based apprentice and trainee must have a supervising registered training organisation (SRTO) that will work with the employer and the school-based apprentice/ trainee to provide services, supervision, and the training required under the training plan.
The SRTO must carry out a wide range of duties, including:
- providing induction information
- negotiating the training plan
- maintaining the training record
- ensuring quality training is provided to the school-based apprentice or trainee.
Refer to the Responsibilities of training organisations stakeholder reference sheet.
The employer and the school-based apprentice or trainee may replace the supervising registered training organisation. To learn more, refer to Changing the Training Contract information sheet.
A SRTO that fails to fulfil its obligations should be reported to the Queensland Department of Education and Training. Before lodging a complaint, you should try to resolve the matter through the training organisation's internal grievance or appeals process. Ask for a copy of the supervising registered training organisation's policies and procedures.
If you are unable to resolve the issues, contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210 for further assistance.
Solving problems with the Australian Apprenticeships Centre (AAC)
Australian Apprenticeships Centres are required to:
- provide general information on apprenticeships and traineeships
- provide information on available registered training organisations
- help complete and lodge the training contract
- provide advice on eligibility for Commonwealth Government incentives and allowances
- make regular contact with the employer and the school-based apprentice or trainee to check on the progress of training as well as other duties agreed with the Commonwealth and State Government.
If you are unhappy with your Australian Apprenticeships Centre, you should first attempt to resolve the issues with them. If you wish to make a complaint about your Australian Apprenticeships Centre, contact the Australian Apprenticeships referral line on 13 38 73 or Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210.