School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

Roles and responsibilities

Student

To ensure students are adequately prepared for a School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship (SBAT), they will be encouraged to undertake a range of career planning activities and pre-vocational programs in Years 7 to 9. A qualifying student who is undertaking the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) including the VCE Vocational Major or Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) will then undergo the following steps:

• Decides, together with their parent/guardian and career advisor, that an SBAT is an appropriate part of their career action plan
• Approaches employers who have identified employment opportunities to their school, or another employer who is willing to take them on
• Agrees to undertake the training specified in their training plan
• Ensures that their school provides details of any Vocational Education and Training (VET) completed to the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) for Recognition of Prior Learning assessment
• Spends at least 1 day a week of their school timetable in work or in training
• Notifies their employer or RTO of any absences
• Participates in their other VCE including the VCE Vocational Major or VPC classes

Parent/guardian

• Gives permission for the student to undertake the SBAT, including training during holiday periods
• Supports the student in securing employment and undertaking their training
• Reports any absences to the workplace supervisor, RTO or school as required
• Maintains communication to support the school, RTO and employer with any issues during the SBAT program

School

• Provides advice to the student in developing their career plan, and deems the SBAT to be in the best interests of their career
• Checks whether a training contract has been signed by the employer, the training provider and the student, and lodged with the Apprenticeships Network Provider (ANP)
• Checks the contribution towards the VCE including the VCE Vocational Major or VPC of the SBAT program on the Victorian Assessment Software System (VASS) to ensure the student is eligible to complete their VCE including the VCE Vocational Major or VPC
• Provides the student with release from structured classes, if necessary, to incorporate training or employment
• Provides a school staff member to regularly communicate with the student for pastoral and duty of care requirements
• Ensures there are strategies, policies and procedures in place to address any risks of child abuse (in order to comply with the Child Safe Standards)
• Endorses the student’s training plan prior to their enrolment with an RTO
• Informs the employer and RTO of any student issues that need to be addressed to minimise health and safety risks during their employment or training
• Ensures students are aware of equal opportunity, harassment and discrimination, can recognise abuse or other risks to their safety, and have the skills and confidence to raise concerns, make complaints, or let someone know if they feel unsafe
• For students who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents enrolling in a Victorian Training Guarantee (VTG) subsidised SBAT, confirm their eligibility to undertake VTG subsidised training with the TAFE institute or Learn Local RTO. Prior to enrolment with a private RTO, the school must contact the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) to confirm eligibility to undertake VTG subsidised training and confirm that training places are available under the Asylum Seeker VET Program

Employer

• Offers paid employment to a student under an industrial agreement that recognises SBATs
• Obtains Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) approval to enter into a training contract
• Enables the student to undertake their structured training
• Ensures the student understands workplace policies regarding child safety, bullying, harassment and discrimination, and any other behavioural standards or codes of conduct that apply to the workplace
• Ensures that other employees in the workplace understand acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in dealing with students
• Ensures the student can readily contact their school if required during their placement
• Ensures school staff can readily contact the student to check how their placement is progressing
• Engages an RTO to support and deliver any training required during the program
• Checks whether they are eligible for Commonwealth incentives
• Arranges for signing and lodgement of the training contract with the ANP

Registered training organisation (RTO)

• Is an RTO (or TAFE) registered with the VRQA and or Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and has on their scope of registration the training required for the SBAT
• Delivers a training program to the SBAT student that meets the requirements of the approved training scheme
• Implements appropriate processes to ensure the student’s safety and wellbeing
• Ensures the training plan is endorsed by the student’s school prior to their enrolment, in order to be eligible for VTG subsidies
• Is responsible for the assessment of the student and keeps the school regularly informed of their progress
• For Learn Local RTOs or TAFE institutes enrolling non-citizens, confirm their eligibility by verifying their visa using the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system. The ASRC can provide guidance if required. Private RTOs may enrol certain non-citizens, confirming their eligibility on VEVO. Private RTOs may enrol certain non-citizens if they have been previously referred to them via a valid Referral Form issued by the ASRC

Apprenticeship Network Provider (ANP)

• Oversee the signing and registration of the training contract
• Provide assistance to employers, apprentices, trainees and training providers throughout the duration of the apprenticeship or traineeship
• Administer incentive payments to employers and apprentices
• Work with state and territory training authorities to provide an integrated service
• Establish effective relationships with Job Services Australia providers, group training organisations (GTOs), RTOs, schools and community organisations

Apprenticeship Support Officer (ASO)

• Support and guide all apprentices aged 15 to 24 in the first year of their apprenticeship
• Offer advice and assistance on any personal or workplace issues
• Work with RTOs, ANPs and other service providers to deliver an integrated apprenticeship support service

Other supports available

To monitor compliance, regulatory field services are provided by a network of authorised officers (AOs), who have a right of entry and inspection. Access to AOs is provided through the VRQA.

Where necessary, AOs will refer apprentices and trainees to other agencies for advice on issues that are outside the VRQA’s remit — for example, questions about wages, industrial issues, occupational health and safety, or harassment and bullying.

For further information about workplace visits by authorised officers, see the VRQA webpage Workplace visits by authorised officers.