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click here.
Hosting one of our apprentices or trainees...
Why use Group Training Services with us?
- TIME SAVING
- No contractual obligations
- No records to keep, no group certificates
- We pay the wages
- No workers compensation claims
- Rotation of apprentices (if you are unable to provide the whole trade qualification)
- Recruitment and Selection
- Monitoring visits and pastoral care
- Discipline is take care of for you
Host employers pay an hourly fee, which is invoiced to you on a weekly basis.
If you have a vacancy for an apprentice or trainee
Skillswest will do the following steps for you:
- We can select just a few good applicants or as many as you like, for you to interview.
- We aptitude tests, using the Australian Council Educational Research aptitude test, in Maths, English and Mechanical Reasoning all our applicants. We also look at the last 2 years school reports.
- We do a one-on-one interview - you make the final decision on whom you select.
As soon as you have decided on the right person for the position:
- Skillswest does all the sign up paperwork, the dealing with government agencies, the negotiation with the registered training organisation and the notification of unsuccessful candidates.
- Tell us when you want the apprentice or trainee to start and we make sure all the administration is done so you can concentrate on training them immediately – rather than mountains of paperwork.
Your responsibilities are:
- Ensuring the apprentice / trainee fill out a weekly time sheet that you (or the supervisor) endorses and faxes to us every Monday. We calculate and pay the wages. We use the same timesheet to calculate your invoices that are prepared weekly.
- To let us know if work falls short or your situation changes, we simply transfer your trainee or apprentice to another host.
- If you are unable to supply on-the-job training in some units of competency, we are also able to rotate your apprentice/trainee to another host employer for a certain period of time.
A strong feature of the service we provide is continuous workplace support. Your placement officer provides a mediating service if any problems arise, ensuring a happy working relationship for you and your apprentice or trainee at all times.
If you would like further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
To ensure we can provide the very best candidates for every position we offer the following recruitment processes.
- We advertise our positions in the local newspapers and on our website.
- We visit local high schools to talk to careers advisors and students on a regular basis to promote apprenticeships and traineeships.
- We also promote our products to parents at careers information sessions at schools and community centres assuring parents support and knowledge in the chosen career path of their children.
Candidates can apply by mail or online.
Once we have received applications, all our applicants are aptitude tested using ACER (Australian Council Educational Research) testing.
Our aptitude testing usually encompasses 3 measures of general intelligence, namely:
- Applied reading
- Employment entry mathematics
- Mechanical reasoning
Each aptitude test scored by an applicant is assessed against the general population. The results can then be assessed as a relative measure to the general population thereby allowing a statement such as “this applicant is in the 95th percentile for numeric reasoning” (ie. they are in the top 5% of the population).
Percentile rankings on the individual’s ability allow a number of assumptions to be made about the applicant’s ability and thereby assist us in ensuring that you receive the best possible candidates.
Following the aptitude testing applicants undergo an initial interview with one of our trained staff.
At the conclusion of this interview and in conjunction with the applicant’s aptitude results all applicants are rated on their interview and communication skills.
Following this process we are able to offer you the best candidates for your position.
Please contact us so that we can assist you in growing your business.
Apprenticeships/Traineeships
What is an Apprenticeship & Traineeship?
Apprenticeships and traineeships are jobs that combine work and structured training. Although they vary from one industry to another, apprenticeships and traineeships include:
- paid employment under an appropriate industrial arrangement (for example, an award or enterprise agreement).
- a Training Contract that is signed by both the employer and apprentice or trainee and registered with the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET).
- a qualification, delivered by a Registered Training Organisation, that meets the requirements of a declared apprenticeship or traineeship in NSW and leads to a nationally recognised qualification.
The nominal apprenticeship training term is four years. The nominal traineeship training term is one to two years.
What types of apprenticeships and traineeships are available?
There are a number of training options:
- both apprenticeships and traineeships are offered full-time
- existing workers (workers currently employed in the workforce) can now access traineeships
- part-time traineeships are becoming increasingly available in a number of industries
- school based part-time traineeships are a recent introduction and allow school students to undertake a traineeship in conjunction with their HSC studies
- group training companies employ apprentices and trainees and place them with host employers. This provides businesses which may not be able to employ an apprentice or trainee for the full term of the training an opportunity to host apprentices or trainees for varying periods.
Further information can be found in this booklet on this website (http://apprenticeship.det.nsw.edu.au/docs/fullguide.pdf)
School Based Apprenticeships/Traineeships
Background
A school based apprenticeship or traineeship provides a student with the opportunity to attain a nationally recognised vocational education and training qualification as well as the Higher School Certificate through paid employment in a recognised trade or traineeship vocation with formal training provided by a registered training organisation.
Vocational Training Guideline
Pursuant to Section 4 of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 (the Act), the following Guideline is issued in relation to the establishment of school based apprenticeships and school based traineeships.
This Guideline specifies the conditions under which an application to establish a school based apprenticeship or school based traineeship can be approved.
School based apprentices and school based trainees undertake part-time training for the duration of school based attendance in years 11 and 12. Where appropriate, training may be approved to commence in year 10.
Each application to establish a school based apprenticeship or traineeship must include a full Training Plan, in accordance with the requirements of the NSW Department of Education and Training, that sets out the proposed mix of work and training to be undertaken while attending school.
Where the relevant Vocational Training Order for a trade vocation specifies a nominal term of four years, the duration of a school based apprenticeship in that trade would be five years. This is completed by two years while at school and up to three years post school. Where the nominal term of training in the relevant Vocational Training Order for a recognised trade vocation is more or less than four years, the post-school training term would be adjusted accordingly.
The duration of a school based traineeship is usually two years and is completed while at school.
Training Term
School based apprentices and trainees must undertake a minimum of 100 days on-the-job training (or as specified in the relevant VTO) over a two year period, concluding by 31 December of the year they complete the Higher School Certificate.
Where the requirements of the Higher School Certificate are being accumulated over more than two years, the part-time school based training may be extended to 60 months. A Vocational Training Direction issued by the Commissioner for Vocational Training (the Commissioner) under Section 10 of the Act, will approve such modified portions of part-time and full-time training arrangements
School based apprenticeships
School based apprenticeships will only be considered for full apprenticeships (as defined by the Act) under which the employer undertakes to employ the apprentice for the whole of the nominal term of the apprenticeship and the training contract.
School based apprentices will undertake trade training at a minimum Certificate III AQF qualification level.
To ensure that all the requirements of the school based component of the apprenticeship will be achieved, a school based apprenticeship must commence before the end of the first term of year 11.
However, an application to commence a school based apprenticeship after that period will be considered by the Commissioner where it is clearly demonstrated by all parties that all the requirements of the school based component of the apprenticeship as specified in the relevant Vocational Training Order and the Training Plan will be achieved within the duration of the Higher School Certificate.
Where the nominal term of training in the relevant Vocational Training Order for a recognised trade vocation is four years, school based apprentices shall undertake the equivalent of the first year over two years, on a part-time basis.
School based apprentices will be required to demonstrate competencies relevant to stage one, year one of the relevant Vocational Training Order (as defined by TAFE NSW/Registered Training Organisation/NSW Board of Studies) in the part-time component, while at school.
They may work during school vacation and/or weekends. However, they are not required to attend on and/or off-the-job training for more than one day per week while at school during examination periods or exam preparation periods.
School based apprentices who successfully complete their Higher School Certificate will receive a Statement of Attainment of the competencies achieved and their Higher School Certificate.
The part-time training arrangement for a school based apprenticeship ceases at the end of the Higher School Certificate year and the apprenticeship is continued on a full time basis under the same training contract with the same employer and registered training organisation.
School based traineeships
School based trainees must enter into a training contract for a term of sufficient duration to allow them to complete their formal training requirements for the Higher School Certificate as well as the minimum requirement of 100 days, ( or as specified in the relevant Vocational Training Order) of paid employment by 31 December of the Higher School Certificate year.
The minimum training term to be nominated on the training contract for a school based traineeship must be 18 months.
However, an application where a term of less than 18 months is nominated will be considered by the Commissioner where it is clearly demonstrated by all parties that all the requirements of the traineeship as specified in the relevant Vocational Training Order and the Training Plan will be achieved within the nominated term.
School based traineeships are usually restricted at the Certificate II AQF level. However, an application to establish a school based traineeship with a qualification higher than Certificate II level may be considered by the Commissioner where:
- it is specified as being suitable for delivery as a school based traineeship in the relevant Vocational Training Order,
- it is listed on the approved school based traineeship list at http://www.sbatinnsw.info/, and
- the Commissioner is satisfied that the course of study at the higher AQF level and the required level of practical experience can be completed within a two year Higher School Certificate.
School based trainees who undertake and successfully complete training at Certificate II AQF qualification level or higher and their Higher School Certificate will receive a Certificate of Proficiency and their Higher School Certificate.
School based trainees who successfully complete their initial traineeship and who commence training in a higher level traineeship, prior to completing the Higher School Certificate, will receive credit for this additional training. The Commissioner will issue a Vocational Training Direction to reflect the amount of on and off-the job training undertaken towards this higher level traineeship and vary the nominal term of training appropriately.
Post school, a school based trainee may:
- progress to stage two of a full-time apprenticeship, where the traineeship articulates into an apprenticeship and/or
- progress to a related higher AQF level traineeship with relevant competency recognition and advanced standing.
Competency Based Completion
The Commissioner may, under the Act, approve the completion of an apprenticeship or traineeship based on demonstration of competency, prior to the nominal completion date of the contract term when:
- The apprentice or trainee has completed the appropriate qualification through the approved registered training organisation, and
- The employer has verified that the apprentice or trainee has achieved a level of competence at the required industry standard.