Study, work and train
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs) give students the opportunity to train towards a nationally-recognised qualification while studying at school.
School studies
Students must gain support from their school to undertake a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT).
The school will then work with the student to modify their timetable to include time for working with the employer and training with the supervising registered training organisation (SRTO).
The school, student, employer and SRTO will negotiate the education, training and employment schedule (ETES) which outlines when the student is at school, work or training.
This schedule forms an important part of the training plan which also specifies training needs and details how and when training will take place, who will provide the training and how training will be assessed.
The training plan and ETES will vary from student to student, depending on their school training and work requirements.
The school has a role in providing support to the student throughout the SAT.
Work
The number of days within a school week that apprentices and trainees work for an employer is negotiated between the student, employer and the school.
School-based apprentices and trainees may work for an employer one or two days per week, or for blocks of days, and attend school on the remaining days.
Overall, however, employers must provide a minimum of 48 days full-time paid employment for each year of the school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.
School-based apprentices in the electrotechnology field must work a minimum of 80 days full-time paid employment for each year of the apprenticeship, including a minimum of 15 hours each week (when not on block release).
A student's work and/or training must impact on their school timetable for the arrangement to be considered a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT), rather than a part-time apprenticeship or traineeship.
School-based apprentices and trainees enter into a training contract with an employer. The training contract legally binds the employer and the school-based apprentice or trainee for the duration of the apprenticeship or traineeship.
It is signed by the employer, school-based apprentice or trainee, and parent or guardian if the school-based apprentice or trainee is under 18. The training contract documents the roles and responsibilities of each party during the apprenticeship or traineeship.
Sometimes the employer will be a group training organisation (GTO). GTOs place apprentices and trainees with a range of host employers, who supervise and train students on behalf of the GTO.
Unlike other apprentices and trainees, school-based apprentices and trainees are not paid for the time spent in training delivered by the supervising registered training organisation (SRTO), and are not entitled to paid sick leave or recreation leave.
However, students are paid for the time spent working, including a loading to compensate them for not receiving recreation and sick leave.
Training
At the commencement of the school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT), the school-based apprentice or trainee and the employer select a training organisation.
The training organisation is referred to as the supervising registered training organisation (SRTO) in the official paperwork.
SRTOs deliver off-the-job training and oversee the on-the-job training provided by the employer. SRTOs may be TAFE institutes or private training organisations.
The way the training is delivered by the SRTO will depend on the apprenticeship or traineeship, the employer's business needs and the school-based apprentice or trainee's learning style.
The training may be classroom-based, work-based or delivered flexibly (e.g. online training). Each SRTO offers different methods of training apprentices and trainees. The student and employer should look into options offered by various training organisations to find one which reflects both of their requirements.
SRTOs will work with the student and the employer to develop a training plan. This plan will outline training needs, how and when training will take place, who will provide the training, and how training will be assessed.
The training plan also includes an education, training and employment schedule (ETES). The SRTO will negotiate this schedule with the school, student and employer to detail when the student is at school, work or training.
For a list of training organisations relevant to school-based apprenticeships or traineeships, visit Queensland Training Information Service or contact Apprenticeships Info on 1800 210 210.