School-based apprenticeships and traineeships
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships allow high school students (typically Years 11 and 12) to work with an employer as paid employees while studying for their Senior Certificate. At the same time, students undertake a training qualification with a registered training organisation chosen by both the employer and the student.
School-based apprentices and trainees must be able to document how their day is allocated over school, work and training. To do this, students must negotiate an Education, Training and Employment Schedule with the support of their school, their employer, the supervising registered training organisation, and their parents or guardians. This schedule must be negotiated at the same time the training contract is signed.
Education, Training and Employment Schedules can vary from student to student, and must involve school, work and training. This work and training may take place:
- one to two days per week, attending school on the remaining days
- for blocks at a time in the workplace
- on weekends, school holidays or after school.
A school-based apprentice or trainee's employment and/or training arrangements must impact on their school timetable for the program to be considered school-based.
Unlike other apprentices and trainees, school-based apprentices and trainees:
- are not paid for the time spent undertaking training delivered by the supervising registered training organisation
- do not accrue entitlements to sick leave or recreation leave.
However, students are paid for the time spent working, including a loading to compensate for not receiving recreation and sick leave.
Periods of paid employment for school based apprenticeships and traineeships must never fall below the minimum of 48 days per year.
Students who do not complete their apprenticeship or traineeship while at school are required to convert to a full-time or part-time apprenticeship or traineeship when they finish school. Once converted to full-time or part-time arrangements, normal award wages and conditions apply.
For more information on school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, visit our Training at school section.
Read the fact sheets:
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships
School-based apprenticeships in electrotechnology
Contact Apprenticeships info 1800 210 210 or Training Queensland 1300 369 935
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