Traineeship, Is it for You? - HITsa | Training | Employment

Is a traineeship for you?

As the 2017 school year winds up, Year 12 high school students are seriously thinking about their “what next”? Many know what they will be doing in 2018 whilst others are less certain. University is a common “next step” but it’s not for everyone. Further, not everybody wants to go to Uni straight from high school. It is becoming much more common for students to take a gap year. If you’re not already committed to a university place in 2018, a traineeship is something you may like to consider.

What is a traineeship?

The Victorian Department for Employment and Training provides a great explanation of traineeships and apprenticeships – http://www.education.vic.gov.au/training/learners/apprentices/Pages/what.aspx

An apprenticeship or traineeship is a contract between an employer and an employee where the apprentice or trainee learns the skills needed for a particular job.
They can be undertaken full-time or part-time and can be used as a valuable stepping stone to start a career in an industry you want to work in.
As an apprentice or trainee, you can:

learn valuable, nationally recognised job skills
get paid while learning
combine formal training from a TAFE or training provider with workplace-based training.

Anyone of working age who is interested in a career in the industry of their choice can be an apprentice or trainee, subject to citizenship or visa conditions.

The Good Universities Guide outlines 5 benefits of a traineeship at https://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/education-blogs/tertiary-study/five-advantages-of-apprenticeships-and-traineeships

Traineeship versus Apprenticeship

The Victorian Department for Employment and Training website goes on to explain

The main difference between apprentices and trainees is the level of commitment that both the apprentice or trainee and the employer make.
Under an apprenticeship:

an employer agrees to employ you for the term of the apprenticeship and to support you in your training for that period of time, and you agree to follow instruction and attend off-the-job and/or workplace-based training
if your employer sells the business during your apprenticeship, the new employer must continue with the training contract
once the probationary period of the training contract has passed, all parties must agree in order for the contract to be cancelled.

Under a traineeship:

an employer agrees to employ you for the term of the traineeship and to support you in your training for that period of time, and you agree to follow instruction and attend structured training
if the business is sold, the new employer does not have to keep you on as a trainee
either party may cancel the contract by signing a cancellation form or letter stating the date of cancellation. Mutual agreement is not required.

Business Traineeships

You can complete a Business Traineeship in 18 months or less. As such, it may fit nicely into a gap year after Year 12. You can gain new skills whilst assessing your job and career options. Plus, if you don’t yet have a strong university ambition, it’s much cheaper to do a traineeship than start a university degree that you won’t ever finish. Trainees earn a wage as well as gain experience, knowledge and opportunity to build on their personal networks.

The “real life” workplace experience you gain through a traineeship is a valuable addition to your CV. Should you continue onto University after completing your traineeship, this work experience can set you apart from the crowd when applying for future professional roles.

You can find more information about traineeships and apprenticeships on the SA Government’s WorkReady website http://skills.sa.gov.au/apprenticeships-traineeships/get-an-apprenticeship-or-traineeship/what-is-an-apprenticeship-or-traineeship.

HITsa can support a Business Traineeship through the delivery of Certificate III in Business Administration. You may enrol at any time during the year and you don’t need to be in a job or traineeship to study this qualification. It’s not just for school leavers either. You will attend one classroom based session per month, plus undertake an interesting variety of independent learning activities. This combination will allow you to meet and network with like-minded students as well as progress through activities at your own pace outside of the classroom.

Business Administration Success Story

Don’t think that a business traineeship is something you do until your “real” job comes along. Instead it is highly regarded as an entry level career opportunity. It provides the foundation for a successful career in a diverse range of industries. The story below demonstrates what is possible through this qualification.

Megan

Megan completed Year 12 in 2012. Unfortunately she did not achieve the ATAR score she needed to study a degree in primary school teaching. As a consequence, Megan undertook an alternative pathway to university, being Foundation Studies in Education, Arts and Social Sciences. She completed this in 2013. However, Megan had changed her mind about primary school teaching and elected to study a degree in Media Arts. During this time, Megan was also working 33 hours per week in a retail job.

Megan learnt that there were only limited career opportunities in her field of study. With a further two years of study to go, she began to question whether the commitment and cost was going to be worthwhile in the long run.

With these thoughts in mind, Megan looked to explore other career options and decided to pursue a business traineeship. She described this as “a great opportunity for me as I can earn and learn while also gaining experience in an administrative role with varied tasks“.

Megan was successful in obtaining a business traineeship position with Store Ur Stuff, a self storage business in Clarence Gardens in May 2015. After completing her traineeship, she went on to obtain a position of Administration Officer with Saturno Group of Companies. This role includes supervision of a Business Trainee. She is enjoying a secure, diverse and rewarding role and has positioned herself ready for further career advancement and/or further studies.

Should you wish to discuss where Certificate III in Business Administration or a business traineeship may take you, please contact HITsa – we would love to hear from you.