What are apprenticeships and traineeships?

An apprenticeship or traineeship is when you combine paid work and training to receive a national qualification.

You can also do an apprenticeship or traineeship fulltime or part-time once you have left school.

You can do an apprenticeship or traineeship part-time while you are at school doing your Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL). This is known as a School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship when your secondary school has endorsed your training plan.

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 Technical and Further Education (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 the Office of Training and Tertiary Education (OTTE).

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.

School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships are available in a wide variety of industries and include:

A customised Metcard describing contact information for VCAA

In addition, 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.

Ask your careers counsellor at school how to combine an apprenticeship or traineeship with your VCE or VCAL.

What are pre-apprenticeships?

A pre-apprenticeship is a course of training prior to 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.

A pre-apprenticeship can be undertaken at a TAFE institute or a school which is a Registered Training Organisation (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.otte.vic.gov.au/apt.asp

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.