What are apprenticeships and traineeships?
An apprenticeship or traineeship is when you combine paid work and training to receive a national qualification. The main difference between apprentices and trainees is the level of commitment that both the apprentice or trainee and the employer make.
Apprenticeships
Under an apprenticeship:
- an employer agrees to employ you for the term of the apprenticeship and to support you in your training for that period of time, and you agree to follow instruction and attend off-the-job and/or workplace-based training
- if your employer sells the business during your apprenticeship, the new employer must continue with the training contract
- once the probationary period of the training contract has passed, all parties must agree in order for the contract to be cancelled.
Traineeships
Under a traineeship:
- an employer agrees to employ you for the term of the traineeship and to support you in your training for that period of time, and you agree to follow instruction and attend structured training
- if the business is sold, the new employer does not have to keep you on as a trainee
- mutual agreement is not required if you or your employer wants to opt out of the contract. Either party may cancel the contract by signing a cancellation form or letter stating the date of cancellation.
You can do an apprenticeship or traineeship full-time or part-time once you have left school.
You can also do an apprenticeship or traineeship part-time while you are doing your VCE or VCAL. When your secondary school has endorsed your training plan this is known as a School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship.
To do an apprenticeship or traineeship you must have a job with an employer. Apprentices and trainees generally learn industry skills by combining on-the-job paid work with training at a TAFE institute or other provider. For some programs, most of the training and assessment takes place at work.
You will be required to sign a contract of training which must be registered with Skills Victoria.
The training is for a vocational qualification at Certificate II, III or IV level. Qualifications are recognised throughout Australia.
As an apprentice or trainee you will receive wages and other benefits to which employees are entitled.
In addition to the apprenticeships and traineeships, there are over 800 apprenticeship and traineeship pathways. Most industries now have apprenticeships or traineeships available. Providing wage arrangements are in place, you can do an apprenticeship or traineeship while at school and receive credit towards your VCE or VCAL.
School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships are available in a wide variety of industries and include:
- Agriculture
- Automotive
- Business
- Community Services
- Engineering
- Food Processing (Wine)
- Horticulture
- Hospitality
- Information Technology
- Retail Operations
- Sport and Recreation:
- Community Recreation
- Outdoor Recreation
- Sport
Ask your school careers counsellor how to combine an apprenticeship or traineeship with your VCE or VCAL.
What are pre-apprenticeships?
A pre-apprenticeship is a course of training done before an apprenticeship. Pre-apprenticeship courses generally take eight to 16 weeks full time and prepare a student for an apprenticeship by teaching them the basic skills of the trade. They may be undertaken while you are still at school and take approximately two years to complete alongside your VCE or VCAL studies.
A pre-apprenticeship can be undertaken at a TAFE institute or a school which is a RTO. Students are often assisted by the training provider to find an employer when the course has finished.
A number of VCE VET programs are approved pre-apprenticeships. The industries in which approved pre-apprenticeships are currently available are – Automotive, Building and Construction, Engineering, Furnishing, Hairdressing, Community Services, Printing and Graphic Arts.
A list of approved pre-apprenticeship courses can be found at: www.skills.vic.gov.au/apprentices/pre-apprenticeships
What is the difference between a pre-apprenticeship and an apprenticeship?
Unlike apprenticeships, students undertaking a pre-apprenticeship do not have a job with an employer.
A pre-apprenticeship is a course of training prior to an apprenticeship. It does not guarantee that you will be offered an apprenticeship. If you successfully finish an approved pre-apprenticeship course, this will reduce the duration of your apprenticeship by six to twelve months, depending on the industry.