Success stories
Rohan Greer - Queensland Training Awards - SATs winner
Student experience
Parental perspective
Employers using school-based apprenticeships and traineeships
School involvement in school-based apprenticeships or traineeships
Rohan Greer - Queensland Training Awards - SATs winner
Rohan Greer of Harristown State High School was named Queensland's best school-based apprentice or trainee at the 2008 Queensland Training Awards in Brisbane in September. Rohan is employed by Shorcan Electrical through The Apprenticeship Company (a division of Downs Group Training). He is working towards a Certificate III in Electro - technology Systems, with training provided by Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE.
"It's a trade I really enjoy and my instructors really make an effort to ensure students understand the content, instil pride of workmanship and are on hand to give guidance".
Rohan is now in the running for the Australian Training Awards, which will be held in Darwin in November.
Student experience
Each year, more than 7,000 young people across Queensland experience the benefits of undertaking a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.
-
View the movie file to see Jaime-Lee Upkett, school captain of Sunnybank State High School talk about her school-based traineeship with the Brisbane City Council.
Read about student Jodie Pauli's experience as a school-based trainee
Former Clifton State High School student Jodie Pauli said she chose a school-based traineeship to boost her career opportunities.
"I completed a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (Allied Health) in Year 11 and 12 which involved formal training from the Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE and real-life experience and wages from the Clifton Co-op Hospital," Miss Pauli said.
"I'm hoping to continue my studies at university to become a registered nurse and I work part-time as an assistant nurse at the Co-op Hospital.
"Working in Allied Health is a big job for someone my age, but the hospital has given me a lot of support, and placed a lot of trust in me."
Parental perspective
As a parent Jennifer Clutterbuck is a strong advocate for school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs) firmly believing they give students greater maturity and life balance in their senior years.
Jennifer's daughter Georgina is completing a Certificate III in Fitness. She is combining her traineeship with OP studies and intends to study physiotherapy at university after completing school. The traineeship has given her the opportunity to see the relevance of her physics and maths subjects in her future career plans.
"The traineeship is providing Georgina with an insight into the real world. She is gaining real-life experience and valuable people skills. Better still, she is not only learning about exercise but is also acquiring business skills and developing greater independence and confidence.
"SATs are for everyone no matter how academic they are."
Employers using school-based apprenticeships and traineeships
Specialised Training Services is using regular on-the-job training as a way to help both students and their employers make sure school-based traineeships work for them.
Jenny Field, from Specialised Training Services, believes training delivered by a trainer visiting the students' workplace allows students to apply their learning to real tasks in the workplace context.
"We've found that doing it this way means students take it more seriously. The student and trainer can sometimes come up with bright ideas that can improve the business's productivity."
"Regular visits to the workplace also allow us to support the employer and provide coaching and mentoring for the student," she said.
Specialised Training Services currently provides training for 224 school-based trainees in business, IT and teacher aide certificate qualifications.
-
View the movie file to see Bill Stoddart, Manging Director, Stoddart Manufacturing share his perspective on hiring school-based apprentices and trainees.
School involvement in school-based apprenticeships and traineeships
The implementation of the Career Access Program at Palm Beach Currumbin SHS is helping students successfully combine study and school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs).
The program offers a flexible timetable and is available to students wishing to take on a SAT while completing a QCE. Students attend school three days a week where they can undertake five subjects. For two days a week they work for an employer and attend training with their supervising registered training organisation.
The school has a dedicated team that promotes the benefits of SATs to students, parents and local employers. An increased understanding of the benefits of SATs amongst teachers, students, parents and the community has also lead to more students enrolling in the program.