It is possible to complete part of an apprenticeship or traineeship while you are at school and receive credit towards your VCE or VCE VM. Apprenticeships and Traineeships give you the opportunity to combine part-time employment with a VET qualification. A school based part time apprentice will normally complete the first year of their apprenticeship while they are at school and then complete the rest of their qualification full time once they have graduation from secondary school.
Apprenticeships and traineeships combine practical hands-on experience in the workplace with training and assessment from a Registered Training Organisation. How do you fit this in within your VCE or VCE VM? With an SBAT, you are released from school for a minimum of one day per week to undertake the apprenticeship or traineeship. You will need to complete an average of six hours of training and seven hours of work per week.
All apprenticeships and traineeships can provide credit towards your VCE or VCE VM.
For every 90 hours of training completed, you will receive one unit of credit towards your VCE or VCE VM (VCE credit will be determined by the certificate). Most apprenticeships or traineeships provide credit for VCE Units 1 to 4 and may contribute towards the calculation of your ATAR by VTAC.
Some certificate II qualifications only provide credit towards the VCE at Units 1 and 2 (these will not contribute towards the calculation of your ATAR)
You will receive a certificate or statement of attainment from your Registered Training Organisation for the training you have completed as part of your apprenticeship or traineeship.
As a school based, part time apprentice or trainee, you get:
- A job that pays a training wage
- Accredited training
- Ongoing advice and support
- Credit towards your VCE or VCE-VM
- A nationally recognised qualification
- Transition into a partially completed full-time apprenticeship when you finish your VCE or VCE VM
- Government funded financial incentives
SBAT’s generally come about from a successful work experience placement and are offered by the employer directly to the student. Often, they can be offered through a family friend or relative within the community. Occasionally employees advertise, or contact schools directly and this information will be passed on to St Anne’s students via our school careers website www.sackiallacareers.com.au
Once a student has been offered a SBAT, students are required to advise the careers practitioner, Belinda Gleeson, ASAP. Belinda will consult the employer and the relevant apprenticeship provider to begin the contractual process.
Further information can be found on the VCAA website: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/studentguides/getvet/Pages/School-basedApprenticeshiporTraineeship.aspx or you can contact our careers practitioners at: careers@sackialla.catholic.edu.au