atEAST Goals

To provide individual pathways for students into industry based training and employment, whilst retaining the ongoing school support and successful completion of their Year 11 and 12 studies. Our consortium of 7 schools work together to offer students a part time apprenticeship or traineeship in conjunction with their Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning studies.

APPRENTICESHIPS/TRAINEESHIPS AVAILABLE

Most common SBAT industries:

• Automotive
• Carpentry
• Engineering
• Furniture Production
• Horticulture
• Hospitality
• Office Administration
• Panel Beating
• Plumbing

SHARED VISION - Industry and Education working together

• To provide a pathway where schools and industry work together to develop a skilled work force and meet future industry employment needs.

APPRENTICE BENEFITS

• Strong personal and professional support in the school, TAFE and employment components of the program
• Ability to complete Year 11 and 12 studies while undertaking their apprenticeship/traineeship
• Employment whilst undertaking industry specific training
• Support future employment whilst further developing communication, literacy and numeracy skills
• Enhanced job security and career prospects
• Apprentice incentives are identical to that of a full time apprentice:
  - Tools of the trade $800 after 3 months
  - $500 incentive wage top up at 12 & 24 months
  - Commonwealth trade learning scholarship at 12 & 24 months
  - Apprenticeship trade bonus $250 at 6 & 12 months.

EMPLOYER BENEFITS

• Professional selection of motivated people
• Enrolment at TAFE & liaise with the training provider
• Regular monitoring and review of apprentice/trainee’s progress at work and TAFE
• The apprentice/trainee is only employed by your organisation while he or she remains suitable and productive. If there is a problem we resolve it together.
• Employment can also be provided through a group training company.
• All apprentices/trainees attend a compulsory induction program which includes basic OHS and work related skills training. Employee responsibilities are also addressed.
• Students must also have completed at least one week of work experience in their chosen industry.
• Foundation Year: many of the students undertake a work placement program in Year 10 – which assist their work readiness skills.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

SCHOOL:	2 days per week
TAFE:	block or day release
EMPLOYMENT:	2 -3 days per week

 

The atEAST program is the only one of its kind in the state where schools employ a co-ordinator to facilitate training and employment as well as monitor students progress.

EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS

• Employ direct
• Employ via a group training company

DIRECT EMPLOYMENT

• In the current economic climate you have the flexibility of employing part time a apprentice/trainee while taking full advantage of the government incentive as well as the additional funding attached to a school based apprentice/trainee.
• Flexibility of numbers of hours to be worked by the apprentice/trainee with a trial period available via the $5.00 per day work experience program to ascertain suitability to your organisation.
• All apprenticeship/trainee paper work is organised by atEAST.
• As the employer you are entitled to incentives up to $5,500 over the time of the apprenticeship/traineeship which includes an additional payment of $750 after 3 months employment and an additional incentive of $750 for ongoing employment after the completion of Year 12.

EMPLOYMENT via GROUP TRAINING

atEAST’s preferred provider via group training is MEGT

• MEGT help to maximise the time employers spend on their business growth by managing the processes involved in employing/hosting an apprentice or trainee.
• Flexibility of numbers of hours to be worked by the apprentice/ trainee with a trial period available via the $5.00 per day work experience program to ascertain suitability to your organisation.
• All apprenticeship/traineeship paper work is undertaken by MEGT.
• MEGT is the official employer and undertakes all the administrative tasks for the host employer.
• The host employer pays one invoice, simplifying the administration of employing a apprentice/trainee.

COSTS OF DIRECT EMPLOYMENT

The costs associated with the direct employment of an apprentice varies upon the structure of your business:

• Is the Corporations Act applicable?
• Was your business established prior to March 2006?

 

The school based hourly rate is the same as a full time apprentice but with a 25% loading to cover trade school block release, therefore you DO NOT pay when your school based apprentice or trainee (SBAT) is at trade school. The rate varies between $7.30 - $9.00 depending on the industry @ 1/1/2009.

 

• Cost to employ ALL trainees is $9.67 per hour 1st Year and $10.62 per hour 2nd Year, including sick leave and annual leave @ 1/1/2009.
• The SBAT trade school is identical to that of a full time apprentice however as they are only working part time the first year wage is carried over a longer period of time.
• Additional costs of employment are that of a full time apprentice – 9% superannuation if the apprentice earns more than $450 per month, $150 per year Workcover and pro rata sick leave and annual leave.

COSTS OF GROUP TRAINING EMPLOYMENT

• MEGT is the employer and hosts apprentices/trainees to your business based on an all inclusive hourly rate.
• For ease of employment group training is an administrative free option as the are the official employer.
• No longer do you need to concern yourself with payroll, taxes, group certificate, OHS checklists, workcover, superannuation or the administration of pro rate sick leave and annual leave.
• The all inclusive hourly rate to host a school based apprentice depends on the industry and varies between is $14.20 - $16.80 per hour @ 1/1/2009.
• The all inclusive hourly rate to host a school based trainee is $11.55 - 1st Year and $12.55 – 2nd Year.

IN SUMMARY

• Over 90% of the students who have participated in the program have gained successful outcomes, either during or at the completion of their apprenticeships/trainees, most leading to full time employment or apprenticeship.
• We invite you to be become part of the partnership where industry and education work together to provide a competent, confident and skilled work force.
• Employ a school based apprentice/trainee as the future of tomorrow’s work force starts today.