Fact sheet 138: Completion process for apprenticeships and traineeships
Version 2
29 Nov 2007
[PDF 83kb]
When does an apprenticeship or traineeship complete?
What is the role of a supervising registered training organisation (SRTO) in the completion of an apprenticeship or traineeship?
What is a certificate of completion?
How is an apprenticeship or traineeship able to be completed?
What happens if the apprenticeship or traineeship is to finish early?
What happens if an apprenticeship is unlikely to be completed before its expected duration or a traineeship before its nominal completion date?
How will the SRTO know what the expected duration (apprenticeships) or nominal completion date (traineeships) of a training contract is?
What happens if no action is taken before the expected duration (apprenticeships) or nominal completion date (traineeships)?
Completions - Apprenticeships and Traineeships
When does an apprenticeship or traineeship complete?
All apprenticeships and traineeships in Queensland are competency-based. This means that when all the competencies of an apprenticeship or traineeship are achieved, the apprentice or trainee may complete - regardless of time served.
To support competency-based training, from 1 January 2007 all apprenticeships will be given an expected duration. The expected duration is the amount of time that it is reasonably expected that an apprentice can become fully competent. The apprentice's training plan will feature the expected duration and all training required under the training plan should to be completed within the expected duration.
Expected durations do not apply to traineeships.
For more detailed information regarding 'expected duration' and 'nominal term' please see the Expected Duration Fact Sheet [PDF 97kb].
What is the role of a supervising registered training organisation (SRTO) in the completion of an apprenticeship or traineeship?
The SRTO plays the pivotal role in the completion process. The SRTO has responsibility to ensure both the employer delivered training and the training delivered by the SRTO is completed on time and in accordance with the training plan.
Once competency is achieved by the apprentice or trainee, the SRTO is required to ensure that all parties sign the 'completion agreement'. Should a party refuse to sign the completion agreement even though the apprentice or trainee has achieved all competencies, the SRTO may seek authority from the department to continue with the completion process (see Scenario 1 & 2 outlined below).
What is a certificate of completion?
A certificate of completion proves that a person has completed an apprenticeship or traineeship. The certificate is issued by the department after the SRTO issues the qualification or statement of attainment to the apprentice or trainee.
How is an apprenticeship or traineeship able to be completed?
There are 2 ways for an apprenticeship or traineeship to be completed.
Firstly, the SRTO and both the employer and the apprentice or trainee agrees that all the competencies outlined in the training plan have been achieved and all sign the completion agreement.
Alternatively, either the employer or the apprentice or trainee refuses to sign the completion agreement. In this situation, the SRTO must seek authority from the department to continue with the completion process.
Scenario 1: All parties agree to completion:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Step 1: |
The employer and apprentice or trainee agree that the apprentice or trainee has completed the training that the employer was required to deliver, as noted in the training plan. The completion process commences the day they agree. Within 5 working days of their agreement, both parties sign a written statement that the apprentice or trainee has completed the training required to be delivered by the employer under the training plan for the apprentice or trainee, and must keep a copy of this agreement for their records. The signing of this statement does not end the apprenticeship or traineeship. |
| Step 2: | Within 10 working days after agreeing, the employer or the apprentice or trainee should provide the SRTO with a signed notice that the apprentice or trainee has completed the training required to be delivered by the employer under the training plan for the apprentice or trainee |
| Step 3: | Once the SRTO receives the signed notice, and is reasonably satisfied that the apprentice or trainee is entitled to a qualification or statement of attainment, the SRTO is responsible for ensuring that the employer, apprentice or trainee, as well as themselves, sign an agreement acknowledging the completion of training (a completion agreement), as soon as is reasonably practicable. The actual completion date of the apprenticeship or traineeship is the date agreed to by all parties and stated on the completion agreement. Both the employer and the apprentice or trainee will receive a copy of the completion agreement from the SRTO. If there are any delays with the issue of the qualification or statement of attainment and the completion of the apprenticeship or traineeship is not confirmed, the SRTO will advise both the employer and apprentice or trainee as to why this has occurred. |
| Step 4: | Within 21 days after the completion agreement is signed, the SRTO must issue a qualification or statement of attainment to the apprentice or trainee. |
| Step 5: |
Within 14 days of issuing the qualification or statement of attainment, the SRTO must also send written advice of the issue of the qualification or statement of attainment to the apprentice's or trainee's employer, and to the department. This written notice can be on SRTO letterhead, or on a completed 'Notice of issue of Qualification' form (available on the Internet). If the Notice of issue of Qualification form is not used, the signed notice must include details of the actual completion date, particularly the written notice must include the name and code of the qualification or statement of attainment being issued. |
| Step 6: | The department will issue a certificate of completion to the apprentice or trainee once advice is received from the SRTO. The employer will receive a letter from the department confirming the issue of a certificate of completion for the apprenticeship or traineeship |
Scenario 2: No completion agreement in place:
If the SRTO is unable to obtain both the employer and the apprentice or trainee's signature on the completion agreement, the SRTO may apply to the department for authorisation to issue a qualification or statement of attainment without a completion agreement, signed by all parties, being in place.
Before the department is able to consider any such request from an SRTO, the SRTO must have exhausted all avenues to resolve the issue in accordance with internal appeals processes and grievance procedures. If an agreement still cannot be reached, the following steps must be taken:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Step 1: | The SRTO must: a. be satisfied the apprentice or trainee has completed all the training required for the apprenticeship or traineeship; and b. be satisfied the apprentice or trainee is entitled to be issued with a qualification or statement of attainment for the apprenticeship or traineeship |
| Step 2: | The SRTO must have submitted a completion agreement to both the employer and the apprentice or trainee for their signature, and either the employer or the apprentice or trainee has refused to sign the completion agreement as requested. |
| Step 3: | The SRTO must then provide a written notice to the department requesting authorisation to issue the qualification or statement of attainment, providing a detailed submission including all the facts and circumstances which satisfy the SRTO that all training is complete and the apprentice or trainee is entitled to be issued with the qualification or statement of attainment. This written notice must include WHO has refused to sign the completion agreement. |
| Step 4: |
The department must then, in accordance with the Fair Procedures process, issue a 'show cause' notice to the party who has refused to sign the completion agreement outlining: |
| Step 5: | The department will consider the merits of each position and make a determination based on the evidence provided by each party. |
| Step 6: | As soon as practicable after making its decision, the department will provide an information notice to the SRTO, the employer and the apprentice or trainee to inform each party of its decision. |
NOTE: This decision is subject to appeal. For more information, refer to the fact sheet on Review, Complaint or Appeal against a Decision relating to an Apprenticeship or Traineeship.
What happens if the apprenticeship or traineeship is to finish early?
Under our competency-based system, this is not uncommon. If the apprentice or trainee achieves all of the competencies prescribed in the training plan before the expected duration of the apprenticeship or nominal completion date of the traineeship, then the apprenticeship or traineeship can be completed.
An expected duration will apply to all apprenticeships where the training contract commenced on or after 1 January 2007 - expected durations do not apply to traineeships. Apprenticeship training contracts commenced prior to this date will not be have an expected duration applied.
What happens if an apprenticeship is unlikely to be completed before its expected duration or a traineeship before its nominal completion date?
When an apprenticeship or traineeship is not going to complete within the nominal term, the employer and the apprentice or trainee need to apply in writing to the department for an extension to the training contract. This application must be made prior to the end of the nominal term of the apprenticeship or traineeship. The department may seek SRTO comments on the likelihood of the apprentice or trainee being able to complete the apprenticeship or traineeship in the extended time.
Each apprenticeship or traineeship contract is allocated a 'nominal completion date' by the department, which identifies maximum amount of time allowed to attain the competencies outlined in the training plan.
In addition, from 1 January 2007, 'expected durations' will apply to all apprenticeships where the training contract commenced on or after this date - expected durations do not apply to traineeships. Where an apprentice has not achieved competence by the expected duration (in accordance with the training plan) a period of time may remain until the end of the nominal completion date. This period will provide a 'safety net' to allow for any outstanding training to be completed. Only if outstanding training remains at the end of the nominal completion date will an application for extension of the training contract be required.
For further information, see the fact sheets Nominal term of apprenticeships and traineeships [PDF 28kb] and Extension of the nominal term of an apprenticeship or traineeship [PDF 60kb].
How will the SRTO know what the expected duration (apprenticeships) or nominal completion date (traineeships) of a training contract is?
SRTO's have access to Training Net, which identifies certain details relating to training contracts where the SRTO has been nominated as the training provider. The expected duration or nominal completion date is provided through Training Net. In addition, the department sends a letter to the employer and apprentice or trainee alerting them to these dates and which also outlines the completion process they need to follow. At the same time, the department will send a copy of this letter to the SRTO to assist them to manage the completion process. As expected durations do not apply to traineeships, the department will send out a letter:
-
12 weeks prior to the nominal completion date of the training contract for traineeships, and
-
12 weeks prior to the expected duration date for the training contract for apprenticeship.
What happens if no action is taken before the expected duration (apprenticeships) or nominal completion date (traineeships)?
If advice of completion or an application for an extension has not been received by the department by the required date, the apprenticeship or traineeship contract will effectively expire on that date.
This could result in a change to wage entitlements and the apprentice or trainee and/or their employer having to meet the costs of training after the end date. It is therefore important for employers and apprentices or trainees to advise the department of any issues that could affect the completion of the apprenticeship or traineeship, prior to the end date.
(As this information is subject to change, please ensure you have the latest version of this fact sheet.)
Contact Apprenticeships info 1800 210 210 or Training Queensland 1300 369 935
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