School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

A School-based Apprenticeship and Traineeship combines:

• part-time, practical experience in the workplace, and
• recognised, structured training with a Registered Training Organisation, and
• school studies.

School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships are open to students 15 years of age or over who:

• are an Australian Citizen, or
• a permanent resident.

Note: Other visa categories may also be eligible. Please check with an Australian Apprenticeship Centre in your local area.

School-based Apprenticeships or Traineeships in Victoria involve the student undertaking the VCE or VCAL as well as being employed part-time and trained under the following arrangements:

The student must:

• be undertaking the VCE or VCAL
• have paid employment under an industrial agreement that recognises School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships. In effect the employer will be either:
  • covered by an Award with suitable provisions;
  • party to a workplace agreement, including Individual Transitional Employment Agreements, Australian Workplace Agreements, collective agreements, or pre-reform certified agreements; or
  • covered by the minimum terms and conditions of Part 21 of the Workplace Relations Act. For more information visit the Skills Victoria website: www.skills.vic.gov.au
• have a training contract that includes a nationally recognised qualification and duration of training to be undertaken. This contract must be registered with Skills Victoria
• have a training plan and be signed with an RTO within two months of commencement of the School-based Apprenticeship and Traineeship
• undertake training over two years at an average of 13 hours per week for employment and training per week. This 13 hours should be divided into at least seven hours of employment and six hours of training per week which may be averaged over three periods of four months in each year of the program
• spend at least one timetabled day during the normal school week on the job or in training.

The school must:

• endorse the training plan for a school-based apprentice or trainee when it forms an integral part of the student's school learning program and study timetable. It must be verified that during term time, a student's timetable indicates that a minimum of one day of the school week during normal school is spent in employment and/or structured training as an apprentice or trainee
• sign the student's training plan to acknowledge that the student is enrolled in a senior secondary program such as the VCE or VCAL
• endorse the training plan for a school-based apprentice or trainee if the above criteria have been met. Endorsement of the training plan by the school will indicate that it is undertaking responsibility to enrol the student on VASS so that credit for the training within the VCE or VCAL can be awarded to the student.

Training and assessment are the responsibility of the RTO.

School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships in the following industry areas have been approved by industry bodies and the VCAA for students undertaking the VCE:

• Agriculture
• Automotive
• Business
• Community Services
• Engineering
• Food Processing (Wine)
• Horticulture
• Hospitality
• Information Technology
• Sport and Recreation

School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships are also available in other industry areas for which Skills Victoria have approved funding. For more information on funding eligibility visit: Skills Victoria.

School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships in other approved industry areas, may also contribute to the VCE through Block Credit Recognition.

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Part-time apprenticeships and traineeships

Students who undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship that is not integrated into their learning program and study timetable will be undertaking part-time apprenticeships or traineeships. This type of arrangement will still provide credit for VCE or VCAL if it is recorded on VASS. This is called Block Credit Recognition.

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Further Information

School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships - FAQs including time commitment, administrative details and the role of schools.

Where To Now? is an online guide to the VCE, VCAL and Apprenticeships and Traineeships.

Australian Apprenticeship Centres are contracted by the Australian Government to provide one-stop shops for those seeking to hire Australian Apprentices or to take up an Australian Apprenticeship as a career path. Locate your local Apprenticeship Centre. 

Apprenticeship Field Officers provide support and advice for apprentices, employers, and training providers including investigating disputes. Locate a local Apprenticeship Field Officer.

Skills Victoria is responsible for the planning, regulation and delivery of a range of education and training programs and services in Victoria. Skills Victoria is part of the Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD).

A Guide to Apprenticeships and Traineeships (Skills Victoria, Fifth Edition, May 2011): The guide answers some of the FAQs relating to apprenticeships and traineeships, including how it works in Victoria, the benefits of an apprenticeship or traineeship and the requirements involved.