School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

Required SBAT documentation

There are 3 documents formally required to establish a school-based apprenticeship and traineeship (SBAT):

• the pathway plan details the SBAT arrangements including the employer, registered training organisation (RTO) and training scheme
• the training contract is an employment agreement between the employer, student and parent or guardian (if applicable)
• the training plan sets out the qualification to be undertaken and the proposed study program and duration.

Pathway plan

Once an employer, RTO and training scheme have been identified, the RTO prepares a pathway plan before a training contract begins. The RTO is responsible for providing a pathway plan template for the school to complete.

At a minimum, the pathway plan must include:

• student details:
  • student name, age, date of birth, phone, email
  • parent/guardian name, age, date of birth, phone, email
  • any adjustments or supports required for the student
• employment details:
  • employer business name, address, primary contact, student supervisor, main address where employment will take place
  • job position and roles
  • proposed work hours: regular work times (days and hours), proposed periods of additional hours (for example, school holiday periods), minimum total hours
  • SBAT duration
• training details:
  • RTO name and campus address
  • primary contact
  • qualification
  • proposed study timetable
  • proposed course duration
  • Note: a more detailed training plan must be completed and lodged with the VRQA within 2 months of the SBAT commencement (refer to 'Training plan' section below)
• school details:
  • primary contact and contact details
  • secondary study program: VCE (including VCE Vocational Major) units or VPC units, year level
• stakeholder agreement:
  • student
  • parent/guardian
  • employer
  • RTO
  • school principal or authorised delegate.

Note: The RTO is responsible for updating the pathway plan over the SBAT duration to capture:

• changes in study, training or employment schedules
• student progress in respect of the senior secondary or foundation secondary study program, training or paid employment.

Training contract

The employer prepares the training contract, a legally binding agreement signed by the employer, student, parent/guardian (if the student is under 18).

Once all signatures are received, the employer sends it to the ANP who lodges the training contract with the VRQA.

The training contract must include:

• apprenticeship or traineeship to be undertaken
• training obligations of the employer and apprentice or trainee
• workplace or location where the apprentice or trainee will be employed
• TAFE or RTO that will provide the structured, off-the-job or workplace-based training.

A student may work during weekends and school holidays. The employer, student and parent/guardian should discuss and agree to these arrangements before signing the training contract.

Any reasonable adjustments required for the student are identified and agreed prior to signing of the training contract.

The contract has a probationary period of 1 to 3 months, as specified at: Approved training schemes.

The ANP must enter the training contract on the national database. The VRQA will approve the training contract if it meets the requirements of the Education Training and Reform Act 2006.

The school is required to register the student on the Victorian Assessment Software System (VASS) within 2 weeks of the training contract starting, to record that they are undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship. This allows credit for the training within the VCE, including the VCE Vocational Major, or the VPC to be awarded to the students.

Any variations to training contracts are managed by the ANP through the VRQA for approval. Further guidance regarding variations to training contracts can be found at: Changing your apprenticeship or traineeship.

Lodgement of an agreed, school-endorsed training plan (see section below) is required for the apprenticeship or traineeship to be registered as an SBAT. Initially, a training contract will be registered as ‘part-time, attending school’ until the training plan is lodged.

Training plan

The RTO is responsible for developing the training plan in consultation with the student, parent/guardian, employer and the school.

The training plan must include:

• RTO details:
  • name
  • nominated campus and address
  • SBAT primary contact
• qualification name and code
• nominated completion date for supervised training
• details of units of competency (UoC):
  • titles and codes
  • scheduled hours and timeframe for each UoC
  • delivery mode for each UoC
• assessment details
• any prior learning or credit transfer granted
• any specific requirements arising to be met in accordance with the approved training scheme, training contract or pathway plan.

The training plan must be signed by the:

• student
• parent/carer (if the student is under 18)
• RTO representative
• employer
• school principal or authorised delegate.

The school principal or authorised delegate must only sign the training plan where:

• they are satisfied that the training plan is:
  • consistent with the agreed pathway plan
  • aligned with the paid employment role and the student’s career action plan
  • well-coordinated with school study (including where appropriate an acknowledgement of prior learning and transfer of credits) and paid employment requirements
  • suited to the student’s needs (including any adjustments and supports required) and capacity to meet all of the SBAT requirements
  • inclusive of any credit transfer arising from prior learning
• the student is enrolled in Years 10, 11 or 12
• the student’s study, training and work commitments form an integral part of that student’s school learning program and study timetable
• it will not be detrimental to the student’s overall education.

The training plan must be signed by an authorised school representative within 2 months of the training contract commencing. The school provides a copy of the signed training plan to the relevant ANP.

The ANP provides a copy of the endorsed training plan to the VRQA which registers the student as an SBAT in the system. SBAT registration facilitates the payment of any SBAT specific financial incentives and subsidies that may apply. Failure to have a training plan registered may result in ineligibility for training fee subsidies and increased costs for the student, and the employer missing out on SBAT specific financial incentives.