Obligations
After entering into the training contract and negotiating a training plan, employers have a number of responsibilities to fulfil during the apprenticeship or traineeship:
General responsibilities
Keeping records
Induction
Planning and recording
Probation
General responsibilities
As an employer, you must:
- deliver training to your apprentice or trainee as required in the training plan
- ensure your apprentice or trainee is adequately supervised in the workplace
- pay the wages and provide the entitlements as specified in the relevant employment agreement or award
- carry out all other obligations required of an employer, including those related to safety and fair treatment
- release your apprentice or trainee from work duties to participate in training delivered by the supervising registered training organisation, as outlined in the training plan
- notify the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts within 14 days of any of the following events taking place:
- amendment or cancellation of the training contract
- temporary assignment of the training contract (that is, an arrangement for the apprentice or trainee to work temporarily with another employer and receive training in required competencies)
- sale or disposal of the business
- dissolution or change of a business partnership
- if you believe that your apprentice or trainee is not making reasonable progress in the apprenticeship or traineeship
- if you believe that your apprentice or trainee will not complete their training within the timeframe shown in the training plan.
Read the fact sheets to learn more about when you should notify the department and your role and responsibilities during the apprenticeship or traineeship.
Keeping records
As an employer of an apprentice or trainee, it is important that you keep certain records and documents relevant to the apprenticeship or traineeship, including:
- the letter received from the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts on registration of the apprenticeship or traineeship
- a copy of the training contract
- a copy of the training plan, updated as required
- details of your apprentice's or trainee's attendance at training provided by the supervising registered training organisation
- all correspondence with the Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts.
You should also regularly update the apprentice's or trainee's training record to record details of the training you have delivered in accordance with the training plan.
Induction
You need to ensure that your apprentice or trainee is given a thorough induction at the commencement of the apprenticeship or traineeship.
As part of the workplace induction, you should:
- outline the job description and the specific duties of the apprentice or trainee
- outline what your business does, and how the apprentice's or trainee's role fits into the overall picture
- discuss start and finish times, when the apprentice or trainee can take breaks, and how they will record the time they have worked
- outline when and how the apprentice or trainee will be paid, and the amount of payment
- discuss leave and other employment conditions and arrange superannuation contributions
- take the apprentice or trainee on a tour of the workplace, introduce them to their work colleagues and show them lunch, toilet and other facilities
- provide the apprentice or trainee with access to uniforms or discuss dress standards
- discuss workplace health and safety information.
Your supervising registered training organisation and Australian Apprenticeships Centre will also provide induction information during the probationary period of the apprenticeship or traineeship.
Planning and recording
Training plan
You, your apprentice or trainee, and the supervising registered training organisation, need to develop a training plan. This training plan outlines:
- your apprentice's or trainee's current skills
- what training your apprentice or trainee needs to undertake
- who will deliver the training
- when and where training will take place
- how long training will take
- when and how training will be assessed and monitored
- what qualification will be issued on completion of the apprenticeship or traineeship
- any special training needs.
The training plan will assist you to manage your apprentice's or trainee's training program, work rotation and holidays.
The training plan is to be completed and signed by you, your supervising registered training organisation, and your apprentice or trainee (and their parent or guardian if the apprentice or trainee is under the age of 18), before the end of the probationary period. Three copies must be kept: one by you, one by your apprentice or trainee, and one by your supervising registered training organisation.
The training plan is a flexible document and can be altered if circumstances change. Your supervising registered training organisation can help you with this.
The majority of training plans outline what the apprentice or trainee needs to achieve in the form of competencies. This is called competency-based training, and aims to develop skills and knowledge to enable the apprentice or trainee to perform tasks to the standard expected in employment.
Competency is determined through competency-based assessment, where evidence is gathered and judged in order to decide whether a person has achieved the standard set by the relevant industry. The time required to complete competency-based training is flexible.
Training record
Within 14 days of the training plan being developed and signed, your supervising RTO will provide your apprentice or trainee with a training record. This training record should be used to record the achievement of competencies agreed to within the training plan.
Your apprentice or trainee is responsible for looking after their own training record. As each new skill is learned, both you and your supervising registered training organisation should complete the relevant section.
The training record belongs to your apprentice or trainee and can be used to:
- demonstrate what training has been completed
- gain credit or exemptions in other training courses
- determine achievement of competency
- assess wage progression, where applicable
- confirm completion of the training program
- assess skill levels.
The Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts regularly checks training plans and training records to ensure that apprentices and trainees are receiving high quality training and that their records are up-to-date.
Probation
Each apprenticeship and traineeship has a set probationary period. This probationary period gives you and your apprentice or trainee time to work together and decide whether to continue with the apprenticeship or traineeship. During this time, you should assess your apprentice's or trainee's work ethic, reliability and potential to succeed in the chosen apprenticeship or traineeship.
Contact Apprenticeships info 1800 210 210 or Training Queensland 1300 369 935
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