Apprenticeships

Classes are normally held in daytime and may be eithe on a day release basis or in blocks of one week or more spaced at intervals during the year. Traditionally apprenticeships have been time based, usually over a four-year period, but this is changing. The system is moving to being competency based, which means that the apprentice will become qualified once sufficient competencies, backed by experience on the job, have been achieved.

The purpose of an apprenticeship is to develop a person into a skilled tradeperson. After successfullty completing an apprenticeship, a tradesperson may decide to practise the trade, go on to further study to become a supervisor or manager, or even start a business venture. Those who have completed an apprenticeship may go on to further training with credit given for the stidy already done.

Most apprenticeships are currently administered by State Training Authorities.

Finding an apprenticeship:

Apprentices may br indentured to a group training company for the period of training instaed of to an individual employer. They are then "leased" to participating host employers on a rotational basisi to recieve the required on-the-job training and experioence. In this way apprentices tend to gain a wider range of trade experience because of theb different kinds of work done by the various employers in the group.

There are a number of things you can do to help your search for an individual employer, or a group training company, who will take you on as an apprentice:

1. Apprenticeships are often advertised in a daily and local newspapers. Many employers start advertising around July of the year before the apprenticeship will be available, so you should looking then.
2. The CES handles the apprenticeship intake for a number of State Government departments and authorities. It also recruits for many major, medium-sized and smalles firms in the private sector.
3. Contact appropriate employer groups and associatins which may be of assistance
4. Contact group training scheme companies in your region
5. Look up Yellow Pages of the telephone directory for firms and companies to which you can write or telephone for possible employment.

Educational requirements:

Employers in most trades prefer applicam\nts who have completed at least Year 10 secondary education, or equivalent.

It is now becoming more common for employers to ask for people who have successfully completed Year 11, Year 12, or a pre-apprenticeship course, before taking them on. They may also specify certain subjects they want you to have passed.

Check with you local TAFE campus about entry requirements for specific apprenticrship and pre-apprenticeship courses.

Contract of Training/Apprenticeship Agreements:

Apprentices and employers sign a written contract called either a "Contract of Training" in some States or a "Training Agreement" in others. The contract/agreement requires the employer to guarantee to teach the apprentice a trade and to allow time off work to attend the college/institute of TAFE classes. In return, the apprentice agrees to learn skills in all aspects of the trade and to work for the employer for a specified period. The terms of contract/agreement cannot be broken without the consent of State training authoruty.

The first three months of an apprentice's employment is called the probation periood. This period enables the apprentice and the employer to assess whether each will be satisfied in the coming years of employment. The probation period is a part of the term of apprenticeship. During this time, either the employer or the apprentice may terminate the contract/agreement by giving the appropriate amount of notice in accordance with the award or employment aggerement.

On-the-job training and assessment:

It is an employer's responsibui;ity to ensure that the apprentice receives balanced and organised on-the-job training in the skills of the trade. The employer is also reauired to complete on-the-job assessments of the apprentice's trade skills on a continuing basis.

Types of technical training:

Depending upon the location of the employer amd on the particular trade, off-the-job technical training may be in one of the following forms:

1. Day release

   in most trades, day-release rechnical training involves attendance at a TAFE campus, or other accredited provider, for 1 day per week for the first and second yeras of the course and one day per fortnight for the next (third) year. However, attendance may vary with the terms of the apprenticeship.

2. Block release

   The apprentice attends TAFE, or another accredited provider, for approximately the same number of days per year as with the day release. However, attendance is in continuous periods of up to 4 wekks duration, 2 or 3 times per year.