Employing a Trainee

Contents Step 1: Thinking about having a trainee? ........................................................................................................... 1

What is a traineeship? ...................................................................................................................................... 1

Benefits of engaging with an apprentice or trainee ....................................................................................... 1

Who does what? ............................................................................................................................................... 1

Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN)................................................................................ 1

State Training Authority (STA) .................................................................................................................... 1

Registered Training Organisation (RTO) .................................................................................................... 1

Employer ....................................................................................................................................................... 2

How does it work? ............................................................................................................................................ 2

Delivery method ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Assessment methods ....................................................................................................................................... 2

Modules ............................................................................................................................................................. 2

Step 2: Where do I start ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Apprenticeship Support Network Provider .................................................................................................... 3

What should I pay my trainee? ........................................................................................................................ 3

Choosing a qualification .................................................................................................................................. 3

Choosing a provider ......................................................................................................................................... 4

Step 3: Looking for a trainee ................................................................................................................................ 4

Creating the Ad ................................................................................................................................................. 4

Advertise ........................................................................................................................................................... 5

Attracting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates ........................................................................ 5

Indigenous Corporations: ................................................................................................................................ 5

Shortlist ............................................................................................................................................................. 6

Interview ............................................................................................................................................................ 6

Step 6: Start on the right foot............................................................................................................................... 6

New Starter paperwork ..................................................................................................................................... 6

First impressions .............................................................................................................................................. 7

Step 5: What next? ................................................................................................................................................ 7

Training contract .............................................................................................................................................. 7

Training plan ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

Step 6: Ready, set, go! .......................................................................................................................................... 8

The Role of a Trainee ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Apprentices & Trainees ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

The Role of the Supervisor................................................................................................................................... 8

Training ............................................................................................................................................................. 8

Support .............................................................................................................................................................. 9

Mentoring .......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Working with Youth ........................................................................................................................................ 10

The Role of Nudge .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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Step 1: Thinking about having a trainee?

What is a traineeship? Similar to an apprenticeship, a traineeship is an entry level pathway to gain a qualification by learning

on the job from those who know the ropes.

It's a structured training program that offers a valuable alternative for employers looking to employ

someone to learn on the job in a structured way.

It is a formal agreement between the trainee and their employer, whereby the employer agrees to

train the trainee, and the trainee agrees to work and learn

Benefits of engaging with an apprentice or trainee • Have the satisfaction of passing on your skills and knowledge

• Enjoy seeing the employee develop their skills

• Apply and develop your skills as a mentor and workplace coach

• Improve your skills in communication as you explain work and ask and answer questions

• Develop staff who are able to complete delegated tasks, enabling you to complete other work

• Gain the opportunity to assist the employee in building work relationships and understanding how

the business operates

Who does what? Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network is made up of Apprenticeship Network Providers

contracted by the Australian Government. They will prepare the training contract then submit it to

the State Training Authority (STA). They are the ones who prepare and lodge the training contract and

they also manage the incentive payments for employers.

State Training Authority (STA) The State Government body that is responsible for the registration of the training contract, which

must be approved before formal training can commence.

Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Once the STA has approved the contract the RTO helps to develop the training plan with the employer

and trainee. The training plan confirms the qualification to be delivered, how it will be delivered and

the dates it will be delivered, and they will issue the recognised qualification upon completion. Help

to develop the training plan with the employer and trainee. The training plan confirms the qualification

to be delivered, how it will be delivered and the dates it will be delivered. They can also deliver the

training or they can just assess the training.

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Employer The employer manages all of the trainees/apprentices pay, benefits, leave entitlements, workplace

safety and other administrative requirements. They are also responsible for ensuring that the

trainee/apprentice has access to the full range of work required to develop the skills and industry

knowledge they need on the job. The employer must provide the trainee/apprentice with:

• every opportunity to learn the skills and acquire the knowledge of the

traineeship/apprenticeship

• a suitably qualified or appropriately experienced person to facilitate the training and

supervise the trainee/apprentice in the workplace

• access to structured on-the-job training

• time off work with pay to undertake training and assessment delivered by the supervising

Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

• a safe working environment

• a work environment free from any form of harassment

How does it work? Traineeships are based on learning and developing skills through a combination of hands-on experience and structured training. A trainee is competent when they are able to apply their knowledge and skills to successfully complete work activities in a range of situations and environments, measured against the standard of performance expected in the workplace and across industry. Competencies are sets of skills and knowledge relevant to the workplace that have been developed by industry. Every competency is made up of elements or tasks. The competencies that each trainee must achieve are specified in their Training Plan.

Delivery method Traineeships are based on learning and developing skills through a combination of hands-on

experience and structured training.

The RTO will regularly come to your workplace, and manage the structured training using a range of

assessment methods. The trainees will also attend a few workshops throughout the year to do some

intensive classroom based training in certain areas.

Assessment methods Assessment means collecting evidence about the trainee’s skills and knowledge, comparing the

evidence to a set of industry-based standards and judging whether, on the basis of the evidence

gathered, the trainee meets those standards.

Forms of evidence that may be used to support assessment of competencies include written tests

and assignments, practical tests, observation of skills being applied in the workplace, and reports

from supervisors and managers about the range and quality of work performed by their employee.

Modules What are workplace competencies?

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Competencies are sets of skills and knowledge relevant to the workplace that have been developed

by industry. Every competency is made up of elements or tasks. The competencies that each trainee

must achieve are specified in their Training Plan.

Step 2: Where do I start

Apprenticeship Support Network Provider A good place to start is to contact an Australian Apprenticeship Support Network Provider (AASN).

Apprenticeship Network providers are contracted by the Australian Government to provide free Australian Apprenticeships support services to apprentices and employers.

An AASN can give you advice about traineeship qualifications, pay rates, training providers, and tips to get started. An AASN will also be able to tell you what incentives or funding you may be eligible for.

Australian Apprenticeship Support Network Providers in WA

MEGT (Australia) Ltd 136 348 http://www.megt.com.au/

Apprenticeship Community 08 6165 3362 https://www.apprenticeshipcommunity.com.au/

Apprenticeship Support 1300 363 831 http://www.apprenticeshipsupport.com.au/Home

AMA Services (WA) Pty Ltd 1800 808 568 http://www.amaats.com.au/

What should I pay my trainee? For help with pay rates go to www.fairwork.gov.au/pay.

You can search for your company’s EBA and the website will provide you with a salary range or suggested pay rates. Often organisations will pay their trainees at the same rate as, say, a labourer.

Choosing a qualification Choosing a qualification can be done via the My Skills website. The website can help you decide on the right qualification to suit your workplace – just enter some key words or a general occupation and it will come up with a list of qualifications, as well as indication of costs, duration and completion rates. https://www.myskills.gov.au/Courses/Search?cf=2 You can also download the Eligible Traineeship list: http://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/uploads/fswa-trainees-list-v16-nov16.pdf One you have an idea of what qualification you’d like to do, visit https://training.gov.au/ to read more about each qualification, the individual units, duration and any prerequisites. You can also call an AASN for advice.

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Choosing a provider Once you have decided on a qualification, you will need to select a Registered Training Organisation. Providers will offer a different level of service and deliver the formal training component of the traineeship in different ways. It’s important to choose a provider that suits your workplace, the demographic of the trainee you are looking to hire. For example if you are looking to hire a young person who may be new to the workforce, a training provider who offers a more comprehensive program with a focus on developing general workplace skills would be the best fit. When you contact RTO’s to get quotes for the training delivery, here are some of the questions you should be asking.

Duration – How long will the traineeship take? Although the traineeship will have a nominated duration, it can be completed in less time or more time if necessary. If you are looking at using a TAFE which requires classroom participation, the trainee will need to join classes dureing set semester dates which could also affect the duration. On the other hand, if a provider says they can complete a qualification in half the nominated time, they may be cutting corners and not providing the same level of service

Course Fees – This is how much the RTO will charge to deliver the units that make up the qual. Some RTO’s are funded by the department of training & workforce development for “new workers” and

Recourse Fees – Some RTO’s will charge fees for Books ect.

Travel & Accommodation – If regional provider may charge a fee for travel and Accommodation

Delivery Mode - All in the workplace? Is there offsite classroom learning/block release?

How is the trainee assessed - log book/workbook/assessments/collecting evidence

Number of interfaces - How many times the RTO visits the trainee face to face

Frequency - From our perspective the more face to face interaction they have with the trainee the better

Availability of units to suit the specific workplace? If you have specific modules suited to your workplace it’s important to check that the RTO is able to deliver these

Step 3: Looking for a trainee Once you have a clear idea of the role you want to fill, you can then advertise the position.

Creating the Ad A traineeship is an entry level pathway, so keep this in mind when designing your advertisement. Use clear language, avoid using complex words, jargon, acronyms and technical terms as much as

possible. A simple ad with pictures and visual cues will help candidates find the job appealing and match it with their expectations, skills and experience.

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Advertise

The best way to advertise will depend on the type of traineeship and the industry your business is in. Consider options such as:

Schools

TAFEs

Vocational Education & Training Coordinators

Community organisations

Job service agencies (see note below)

online job sites

social media

notice boards or shop windows

newspapers and industry publications

business or industry contacts

Some AASNs also have a jobs board service – for example www.skillsroad.com.au

Job Active – https://jobsearch.gov.au/service-providers

Attracting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates There are also specific ways to promote the opportunity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders workers. These include:

Use visual cues such as Aboriginal artwork in your advertisements

Make it clear in all your job advertisements that you welcome applications from

Aboriginal people

promote the role through conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business, industry or community contacts

Advertise vacancies through Aboriginal media (Koori Mail and Noongar Radio),

local communities and Aboriginal recruitment companies

provide reasonable time before applications close to allow news of your vacancy to spread by ‘word of mouth’.

Indigenous Corporations: AWDC - http://www2.dtwd.wa.gov.au/AWDC

Wirrapunda Foundation https://www.wf.org.au/

Clontarf http://www.clontarf.org.au/

Aboriginal Land and Sea Council http://www.noongar.org.au

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Shortlist Calling applicants or having a casual face to face chat is a great way to gauge interest and get to know your applicants a little better in more relaxed environment. A traineeship is an entry level pathway and does not require any previous work experience or training, so resumes and cover letters will most likely be very different to what you have seen before. Keep in mind that trainees are often young and inexperienced, and may not know how to make the best resume.

Interview Make interviews as comfortable as possible. For example, consider allowing applicants time to read the questions before the interview. You can also consider less conventional interview methods such as practical assessments or observing applicants through group activities.

Please see attached “Suggested interview questions’.

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

What made you decide to apply for this job?

Tell us some of your best qualities or attributes that would make you a great person to work

with?

What is good teamwork? Tell me about a time you were part of a team that worked well

together.

How has your previous experience prepared you for taking on this traineeship?

What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?

Tell me about a challenge or conflict you've faced at work, and how you dealt with it.

Is there anything we haven’t asked you that you would like to tell us about yourself to support your application?

Step 4: Start on the right foot

New Starter paperwork

Go through it with them in person. Induction checklist (attach)

The first hours and days of a new employee's career are the time when they become acquainted with the requirements and expectations of their job, the culture of the organisation and where and how they fit into the company.

Investing time in a thorough induction will help you get the most from your new employee. It will also help ensure that the employee feels well-informed, welcomed and equipped to do their job. As part of the induction program, you can include:

a tour of the workplace and introductions to other employees

a ‘buddy’ or mentoring system to partner the new worker with someone they may be comfortable asking questions

an overview of the business an explanation of the employee’s role and responsibilities an explanation of the business’ policies and procedures including the hours of operation,

the dress code and payroll an overview of the workplace health and safety protocols,

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First impressions Tips…

1 Choose carefully when involving others in the welcoming process

2 Nominate a workplace ‘buddy’ to show them around and help them settle in

3 Introduce your new employee to other colleagues gradually – introducing too many people at once can be overwhelming and confusing

Step 5: What next?

Training contract The trainee and employer will need to sign a training contract that is submitting to the State Training Authority and monitored by the Department of Training and Workforce Development.

You will need to arrange an AASN to do the sign-up to formally register the traineeship.

A training contract is a legally binding agreement between the employer and the apprentice or trainee. In signing the training contract, both parties are bound by certain obligations expressed in the contract. The training contract sets out the terms of the apprenticeship or traineeship, which are agreed to by both the employer and the apprentice or trainee, such as:

the qualification the apprentice or trainee is working towards;

the nominal term of the apprenticeship or traineeship;

the number of hours in training and employment provided each week; and

Arrangements for on and off the job training.

A training contract is separate to an employment contract. Before submitting the training contract, you will need to have selected the RTO you will be using and nominate them on the contract. It’s a good idea to have the RTO attend the sign-up, as they will have enrolment forms and other paperwork to be completed. The RTO isn’t formally engaged though until the training contract has been approved and they have accepted the nomination to provide the training.

The AASN will submit it on your behalf and formally register the traineeship. It can take up to 6 weeks for the training contract to be approved. Once the training contract has been approved by the STA, you will receive notification confirming the start date (the date the contract was signed) and provide an extract of the registered training contract.

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Training plan Once the traineeship has been registered, a training plan will need to be agreed upon and submitted to DTWD. A training plan outlines which units will be delivered, how they will be delivered, and when they will be delivered. Before a training plan is created, you will need to select the units of competence that best match the trainee’s role and daily duties, their professional development and the workplace requirements. There are rules about which units must be selected to obtain a particular qualification. The RTO will go through this with you and help you to select units that meet the requirements as well as suit your needs.

Step 6: Ready, set, go! You now have a trainee, a training contract in place and a training plan to work towards. Now it’s time to get started!

The Role of the Supervisor Training The apprentice or trainees supervisor needs to understand and follow the training plan. The

Supervisor should be present at RTO catch-ups to make sure they are across what the trainee is

working on and what they need to do to support the formal training activities.

Every competency or module is made up of elements or tasks. To gain the skills and knowledge

necessary to be deemed competent, an employer will assist by:

• Providing on-the-job skill development by assigning tasks that relate to the units of

competency within the qualification

• Working with the RTO and trainee to support the achievement of competence in required

skills

• Allowing sufficient time for the trainee to complete training and assessment activities within

paid working time

• Communicate with the employee daily to discuss work assignments in line with the training

plan

• Perform daily checks to ensure that standards are being met (direct supervision)

• Organise and record on the job training activities

• Assist the employee in gaining access to equipment and training as needed or as outlined in

the training plan

• Take necessary steps to ensure downtime is maintained at the lowest possible level

• Help the employee develop problem solving and general employability skills

You will need to allocate enough time each week for the trainee to work on the assessments set by the RTO. All assessment work must be done within paid work hours. A traineeship is on the job, so a trainee should not be doing any coursework at home.

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Some of the assessments will require input from you. You will also need to provide feedback on whether the trainee is competent in a specific unit before it can be signed off as complete.

Depending on the traineeship, there will be a range of assessment tools and training resources to support the trainees learning. Some examples:

Log book

Portfolio of evidence (copies of emails, documents, JSA’s, work plans, schedules, photos of work activities, performance reviews etc.)

Written assessments

Work book

Supervisor observation reports/sign-offs

Workplace observations (onsite carried out by the assessor)

There are a lot of people involved in a traineeship/apprenticeship so keep that in mind – Registered Training Organisation visits should also be monitored by the supervisor so that everyone understands what is being asked of the employee

It’s important that you are present during the RTO visits so that you know what the trainee is working on and what is required of them. Arrange regular check-ins to see how the trainee is tracking.

Support • Weekly meetings to discuss training and work issues

• Provide regular feedback and encouragement

Mentoring

Remember, trainees are in the program to learn and need guidance, patience and good teachers.

They are not there to just do the grunt work – this makes up part of their job but it is not the sole

focus.

Here are some tips on how to best support your trainee.

1 Use clear language, avoid using complex words. Avoid jargon, acronyms and technical terms as much as possible, or take the time to explain their meaning

2 Traineeships are entry level roles, so you need to remember they haven’t done this before!

3 Don’t bombard them with too much information at once, there’s a lot to take in as anew person

5 They may need to be shown an activity more times than someone who has had previous experience

6 They may also need to be shown in a different way – not everyone learns by listening or watching or reading - ask them how they like to learn!

7 Check-in REGULARLY and don’t just accept Yes as a response! Dig deeper in a respectful way.

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Working with Youth Generation Z are people born from 1995 to the end of 2009

• They make up nearly 18% of the world’s population

• Are ‘digital natives’. Much of their communication takes place on mobile platforms and the

internet

• Their verbal communication styles may differ considerably from previous generations

Generation Y is often defined as those born between 1980 and 1995.

• In 2012 Gen Y comprised 40% of the Australian working population

• One in three is from a culturally and linguistically diverse background

• One in four have grown up in a single parent household