TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM
APPLICATION FOR A TRAINEESHIP POSITION IN 2004
The Director-General’s Message
As part of the combined effort of government, industry and unions to reduce high unemployment and ensure that Queensland has a skilled and confident workforce the Queensland Government has allocated funds to subsidise the employment of trainees in the public sector through the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle Initiative.
Education Queensland has responded positively to the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle Initiative through the Working for You traineeship program.
I am pleased to support this initiative and encourage you to consider carefully the benefits that participation in this very valuable program will bring to your workplace, and more importantly, positively impact on the future workforce.
Aim of the program
The aim of the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle, Public Sector Employment Initiative is to have 70% of trainees gain on-going employment either with the agency or to assist them to gain employment elsewhere and to have a significant percentage of trainees employed in regional areas.
Working for You
The Working for You - Traineeship Program has been designed to assist unemployed people gain vocational qualifications and work experience. The aim of this program is to improve the employment prospects of Australia’s unemployed by ensuring that, if they leave your area at the completion of their traineeship, it is with a wide variety of demonstrated work experience and marketable skills.
The traineeship involves on and off the job training components. Trainees will undertake a theoretical (off-the-job training through a Registered Training Organisation) component of their traineeship which will require the engagement of a registered training provider and the development of a training plan. Trainees must be employed on a full-time basis, however, school based trainees work a minimum of one day a week in the school environment.
The initiative is for new employees and is not applicable to existing workers. Existing employees
and persons who have previouslyundertakenasubsidised traineeship are not eligible to be sponsored under the Working for You program. An employee who has worked continuously for Education Queensland either: full time for three or more months or part-time/casual for 12 months or more will be deemed an existing worker.
Types of Traineeships
Full time traineeships are adults employed on a full-time basis. The trainee undertakes on-the-job and off-the-job training. The program targets school leavers and the unemployed in order to create additional employment and training opportunities.
School based traineeships are for students from year 10 now (2003) going onto year 11 & 12 in the next two years. The traineeship allows the student to achieve a Senior Certificate while they train in an industry area to achieve nationally recognised vocational education and training qualifications.School based traineeshipshave a nominal duration of 2 years and the trainee is required to work an average of one day per week or 48 days per year. School based traineeships can occur in state schools as well as high schools.
Allocation of positions to Education Queensland
Education Queensland has been allocated 250 full time trainee positions and 200 school based positions. You are invited to submit an expression of interest if a genuine new job opportunity exists to employ an unemployed person or a senior secondary school student. With the Memorandum of Agreement between Education Queensland and the Department of Employment and Training specific quotas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Australian South Sea Islanders, people with a disability and people from a non-English speaking background have been negotiated.
Selection Criteria for Allocating Positions
Schools/work units wishing to participate in the program for 2004 will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Priority to achieving EEO targets (please ensure that if you do nominate a preference to employee a trainee from one of the target groups that you are able to employ a trainee from that specific target group);
- 46% of placements to occur outside South East Queensland;
- Performance against previous allocations; and
- Schools/work units expressing an interest in the program for the first time.
Certificates Available
There are a wide range of certificates available for people wanting to undertake a traineeship, the certificates listed below are the most popular currently within Education Queensland:
- Certificate 2 Horticulture;
- Certificate 2 Information Technology;
- Certificate 3 Information Technology;
- Certificate 2 Sport and Recreation (Service Maintenance);
- Certificate 2 Sport and Recreation (Outdoor Recreation); and
- Certificate 2-3 Business (Office Administration).
More information on the range of certificates is available from the Department of Employment and Training website
Information Technology
Certificates in Information Technology are usually 18 months in duration. If you want to have a trainee undertake a certificate in this area, schools will be responsible for the employment of the person for the duration of the contract and responsible for funding any wages greater than the subsidy amount provided.
Duration of Traineeship
It should be noted that even though the contract for a full time trainee is for either 12 months or 18 months the trainee might complete all the required competencies of the course earlier. If all parties concerned (School/work unit, Registered TrainingOrganisation and Trainee) agree that all competencies, both on the job and off the job have successfully been completed they can end the traineeship enabling the trainee to either go on to full time employment or be employed in the school/work unit but under a different arrangement eg temporary/casual.
School based traineeshipshave a nominal duration of 2 years and are required to work an average of one day per week or 48 days per year.
State Government Subsidies
Funding has been provided under the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle Public Sector Initiative. The subsidy is available to assist schools and work units with the wages for the trainees. The subsidy provided does not necessarily cover the total wage for the trainee. Schools and work units will be responsible for funding any wages greater than the subsidy provided.
Full time will receive a subsidy of $14,000 per traineeship position distributed in two (2) equal payments of $7,000. The first payment will be paid to the school/work unit on receipt of the registration number of the trainee. This information is provided to the school/Group Training Company by the Department of Employment and Training (DET). The second payment of $7,000 will be made in semester 2 when DET has completed the reconciliation process and schools/work units have indicated the trainee is still employed and progressing within their traineeship.
School based trainee will receive a subsidy of $4,000 per traineeship position distributed in four (4) equal payments of over the two year period. The first payment will be processed on receipt of the registration number of the trainee. This information is provided to the school/Group Training Company by the Department of Employment and Training. The subsequent payments will be made when DET has completed the reconciliation process and schools have indicated the trainee is still employed and progressing within their traineeship.
Commonwealth Incentives
Commonwealth Incentives are available to support employers who employ trainees to achieve an industry-endorsed qualification at Certificate 2, 3 or 4. Details about the Commonwealth Incentives can be obtained by telephoning 1800 639 629.
Wages
The total labour costs for the employment of a full time trainee ranges from approximately $17,000 to $34,350 (not including leave but including on costs, leave loading and superannuation) depending on the certificate level undertaken and the age of the trainee.
For school based trainees the costs ranges from approximately $7,000 to $9,057 for the 2 years of the traineeship, depending on the certificate level undertaken. More information on wages is available on the Working for You website including wage rates and costings.
The school based trainee is to be paid through the AAEP process already established in the school. Full time trainees are either paid by Education Queensland’s payroll or through a Group Training Company pending the school engaging their services.
Schools and work units should be aware of the salary entitlements eg on costs for the trainee when considering their budgets. The salary schedule for trainees and costing is available on the Working for You website under wage rates
Employer’s Responsibilities
All trainees are to be supervised by a designated officer. The role of the supervisor is to manage and monitor the tasks performed by the trainee, as part of the on-the-job training, and to assess the competencies achieved by the trainee. The services of a registered training organisation are to be engaged to deliver the off-the-job training.
A Training Contract that outlines the parties’ obligations is to be completed with the assistance of the New Apprenticeship Centre. The supervisor will need to monitor on-the-job progress and verify achievement of the required competencies of the trainee.
Action Required
Schools and work units interested in participating in the Working for You program for 2004 will need to complete the Application for a Traineeship Position in 2004 form and fax or mail it to central office by close of business, 31 October 2003. All applications will be carefully considered and you will be further advised in mid November of the outcome of the expression of interest.
Contacts
Further information and assistance can be gained by contacting Ms Diane Neinert on telephone 3235 4028 from the Employment Services Unit, Human Resource Services Branch.
Address
Employment Services
Human Resource Services Branch
PO Box 33
Brisbane Albert Street Qld 4002
Or
Employment Services
Human Resource Services Branch
Level 16 Education House
30 Mary Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Facsimile 3210 0714
Checklist
APPLICATION FOR A TRAINEESHIP POSITION IN 2004
Name of Location: ______
Address and Post Code: ______
Telephone: ______Fax: ______
Location Number: ______District: ______
Contact Person: Telephone:
How would the trainee benefit from being employed in your school/work unit?
______
______
______
Pleased indicate preference to employ and how many positions full time trainee school based trainee (eg 1 full time 4 school based)
Please indicate preference to employee a trainee from one of the target groups. (please tick appropriate box)
Non-English speaking background Person with a disability
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian South Sea Islander
(it will be understood that if a target group is not indicated a general traineeship position is required.)
What traineeship program would be most beneficial to your school/work unit?
Who would be the most suitably qualified staff member to supervise and support all requirements of this traineeship?
______
Does the supervisor have a qualification/experience in the area of the traineeship Yes No
Name of qualification______Years of experience______
Will the trainee be supervised at all times Yes No
A condition of the application for a traineeship position being approved is that there is a suitably qualified staff member is available to provide the required level of supervision and coaching for the trainee to satisfactorily progress through the traineeship. For example, a traineeship in Information Technology should not be considered in instances where the school/work unit does not have an extensive information technology infrastructure and qualified personnel to supervise and provide on-the-job training.
______
In signing this application you accept responsibility for any additional costs the traineeship may incur outside the subsidy of $14,000 for full time and $4,000 for school based.
Supervisor’s name: ______Principal’s name: ______
(please print name)(please print name)
Supervisor’s signature: ______Principal’s signature: ______
Date: ______Date: ______
Please complete and return by close of business Friday, 31 October 2003Mail: Employment Services Unit Fax: (07) 3210 0714
Human Resource Services Branch
Education Queensland
PO Box 33
BRISBANE ALBERT STREET QLD 4002