Structured Workplace Learning Programme
Many businesses have recognised the link between vocational learning and the serious skill shortages faced in the Hunter region. Training local youth is a valuable investment into the future of your industry.
Structured Workplace Learning is a valuable way to demonstrate your industry’s needs to the education sector. It can be a source of potential employees and can develop community goodwill.
The workplacements you provide will help Vocational Education and Training students to gain a nationally recognised qualification and make successful transitions from school into the world of work.
Career Links brings together all parties involved in the workplacement process. We are available for support at all stages of the Structured Workplace Learning to ensure a positive and rewarding workplacement experience for your business and the students you host.
Useful information and forms for SWL Employers:
Health Safety Guide for Educators and Employers.pdf
Employers Guide to Workplace Learning.pdf
Employer registration form.pdf
Workplace Excellence Awards Nominations are open!
The 2009 Career Links Workplace Excellence Awards will be held in October, and we would like to encourage employers to nominate outstanding students they have hosted for workplacement.
All nominees will be recognised, and category winners are also eligible to go on to win the Student of the Year award.
To nominate a student, please download the 
Nomination Form, and send it in to Career Links.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are workplacements?
How is workplacement different to work experience?
What are the benefits to your business?
What is your role as a host employer?
What about insurance?
What are the legal obligations?
What happens if there is an accident?
What about confidentiality?
Interested, want to get involved?
What are workplacements?
Structured Workplacements (referred to as workplacements) are the on-the-job training component of Vocational Education & Training (VET) in Schools programmes available to Secondary Students.
During the HSC, students undertaking vocational courses are required to complete a total of 70 hours with a host employer, one in year 11 and the other in year 12.
Workplacements allow VET Students to perform hands on tasks in the workplace that are related to competencies in their course.
Structured Workplacements are viewed by employers as one of the most essential parts of a VET Course as they give students a real insight into the industry.
How is workplacement different to work experience?
Workplacement:
* Students must be enrolled in an industry VET Course.
* Year 11 to 12 students.
* Structured Learning.
* Develop skills relevant to the industry.
* Students are more interested in their chosen area of training.
* Students are motivated to practice their skills and perform hands-on tasks in the workplace.
Work Experience:
* Students attend different businesses to observe the workplace.
* Restricted to Year 9 and 10 students.
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What are the benefits to your business?
* The opportunity to reflect local industry needs and standards in education programmes.
* Recruit potential employees from the students you host, saving on expensive advertising and recruitment costs.
* Develop the training and supervision skills of your staff.
* Ensure sufficient skilled labour for the future of your industry.
* Have meaningful work completed whilst developing skills in students.
* Have an extra set of hands to help with entry level tasks.
* Gain community goodwill for helping students improve their skills and increase their employment opportunities.
* Personal reward - it is satisfying to know that you gave someone a head start into their career.
* No financial outlay for business – your time and effort is all the investment required.
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What is your role as a host employer?
Host employers should aim to provide students with as many hands-on tasks as possible. Giving students meaningful work often gains the best results as the student will genuinely feel as though they have contributed to your business.
In the student’s workplacement journal, there is a list of suggested student activities that may assist you in planning tasks for the student.
A host employer must provide:
* A safe working environment and any required safety equipment.
* A workplace induction.
* Meaningful tasks related to the skills in the student’s VET Course.
* A nominated Workplace Supervisor.
A host employer will be required to...
* Record student’s progress in their workplacement journal.
* Provide feedback about the student and the workplacement.
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What about payment?
No payment or remuneration is required or expected by students to be made by employers whilst on workplacement. Any remuneration to a student will change the status of the student to 'employee' and make the host employer responsible for the provision of worker's compensation insurance.
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What about insurance?
Department of Education & Training covers all secondary students attending public schools whilst on workplacement.
Independent and Catholic Schools arrange insurance for all Private and Catholic School students.
These policies cover injury to the student as well as third party property damage caused by student negligence. For more details refer to the Employer's Guide to Workplae Learning
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What are the legal obligations?
Your legal responsibilities relating to the duty of care are the same as for all persons in your employment.
However, the younger the age and lower maturity level of school students generally requires a greater level of care than that of adult workers e.g., not leaving them alone to ‘mind’ the workplace.
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What happens if there is an accident?
* Seek medical help immediately.
* Contact the student’s emergency number (this will be found in the student’s journal Part 1) and your Career Links Coordinator – Ph: 4956 8468.
* Complete an accident report of the incident and forward to Career Links.
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Confidentiality is addressed in the early part of Vocational Education training. Students must have a clear understanding of confidentiality before they can be assessed as ‘work ready' by their teacher.
If your organisation uses a standard Confidentiality Agreement for employees, you are entitled to ask visiting students to comply with your company policy. In the student's journal Part 1 [employers section] we have supplied a standard confidentiality form that you can ask a student to sign.
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Interested, want to get involved?
Call Career Links on 02 4956 8468 or complete an Employer Registration form
Page last updated: 10/09/09, 1.02pm
