Structured Workplace Learning
To better prepare students for work, most schools offer opportunities for students to experience and learn directly in workplaces. This might involve spending time in a workplace or in paid part-time employment.
For workplace opportunities to be successful, it is vital to have the support of quality host workplaces and employers.
Becoming a host employer for workplace learning experiences can help you to:
- promote your industry, its career paths and future directions
- strengthen your links with the community and raise your business profile
- increase the supervisory, training and mentoring skills of your staff
- participate in the education, career development and training of young people in your community.
Your Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN) is funded to deliver the School to Work program, which supports schools to engage with industry and provide high quality work-based learning opportunities for all students.
Your LLEN can help you link with schools and students by advertising and sharing opportunities you may have on this portal. For more information, contact your LLEN.
You can advertise 3 types of opportunity on this portal:
Structured workplace learning (SWL) placements provide students with the opportunity to integrate on-the-job experience with secondary study. It is delivered as part of a students’ secondary schooling certificates and subjects, such as Vocational Education and Training (VET), the VCE Vocational Major, VCE Industry and Enterprise or the Victorian Pathways Certificate. Host employers will need to provide supervision and direct instruction to students as they practise and extend the industry skills they have learned in their vocational programs at school. The minimum student age for SWL is 15 years.
Work experience is the short term placement of secondary school students, generally from years 9 and 10, in your workplace. The host workplace agrees to provide appropriate supervision in an approved environment, usually for a shorter period of one or two block weeks.
The student’s role is primarily to learn through observation. They may also be able to participate in entry-level tasks that do not require any specific skills or training. The minimum student age is 15 years unless exceptional circumstances apply.
School based apprenticeships and traineeships (SBAT) offer students the option of combining part-time employment, school and training. The program involves a contract with an employer, a registered training plan and leads to a nationally recognised VET qualification. The minimum student age is 15 years.
In government schools, SBATs can be arranged through a dedicated program, called Head Start. Local Learning and Employment Networks can also provide assistance if you require more information. The Victorian Government website has more information about Head Start apprenticeships and traineeships, as well as general information about SBATs .