Key responsibilities

The primary responsibility for the management of school based apprenticeships and traineeships lies with the parties to the contract of training - the employer, apprentice or trainee, parent or guardian (if under 18 years of age).

The RTO is responsible for developing the agreed training plan consistent with the Nationally Agreed Training Plan Principles and the qualification packaging rules set out in the training package. The training plan is developed in consultation with the employer, the apprentice or trainee, the parent or guardian (if under 18 years of age) and the school.

Roles and responsibilities of school based apprenticeships and traineeships parties

The NT Employment and Training Act and the contract of training set out the statutory and contractual requirements for the operation of all apprenticeships and traineeships including school based and the responsibilities of employers, apprentices and trainees, their parents or guardians (where under 18 years of age) and RTOs.

School based apprentices and trainees

Anyone undertaking a school based apprenticeship and traineeship is required to comply with the requirements of the contract of training and the training plan. School based apprentices and trainees are responsible for contributing to their own learning and ensuring that they work towards attaining both school and apprenticeship or traineeship outcomes.

Parents and guardians

Where school based apprentices and trainees are under 18 years of age their nominated parents or guardians are bound by the relevant obligations of the contract of training and are also signatories to the training plan. School based apprentices’ and trainees’ parents or guardians are required to support the school based apprentice and trainee to comply with the contract of training, training plan and attain both school and school based apprenticeship and traineeship outcomes.

Parents and guardians are also responsible for ensuring the school is notified of the intent to undertake a school based apprenticeship or traineeship prior to commencing and ensuring the principal has completed and returned the evidence of endorsement for a school based apprenticeship or traineeship form prior to the sign up visit by the Australian Apprenticeships Support Network provider.

Employers and employing organisations (including group training organisations)

Employers must comply with all legal, regulatory and policy requirements in relation to the employment of apprentices and trainees. Additionally, employers must assist school based apprentices and trainees to balance study, work and training commitments and develop cultural and diversity awareness in the workplace.

Registered training organisations (RTOs)

RTOs are responsible for the provision of accredited training in accordance with all legislative, regulatory, policy and contractual requirements and must ensure their operations comply with the current national VET regulator standards for RTOs.

RTOs that provide training to school based apprentices and trainees are also responsible for ensuring the school based apprentices’ and trainees’ results in relation to progress are submitted to the relevant school VET coordinator on or prior to the dates specified by the school.

Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade

The department through Workforce NT is responsible for managing the NT VET system including:

• regulation of apprenticeships and traineeships including school based apprenticeships and traineeships
• provision of operational and strategic training advice to industry, RTOs, schools, Australian and NT government departments and the community in general
• provision of funding to support VET training for Territorians, and
• collection, management and reporting of VET data.

The Australian Apprenticeships Support Network provider will also provide advice and assistance to schools, RTOs, employers and students on the development of policies and the implementation of school based apprenticeships and traineeships on behalf of the department.

Schools

The school principal is required to complete the evidence of endorsement for a school based apprenticeship / traineeship form prior to the contract of training being registered. In addition the school is responsible for maintaining a register of students undertaking school based apprenticeships and traineeships and distributing information to relevant staff within the school.

Schools are responsible for processing school based apprentices’ and trainees’ results and ensuring that appropriate credit is recorded for NT certificate of education and training.

Schools must ensure that RTOs are informed of relevant dates and deadlines for the reporting of school based apprenticeships’ and traineeships’ results.

Schools should ensure that school based apprenticeship and traineeship arrangements are underpinned by adequate support for school based apprentice and trainees including pastoral care, mentoring, literacy and numeracy support.

Schools should have policies and procedures in place to manage all administrative and credit recognition processes. In addition staff should be provided with access to relevant professional development and flexible timetables should be created to enable all obligations of School based apprenticeships and traineeships to be met. These policies and procedures should be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.

The Australian Apprenticeships Support Network provider

The Australian Apprenticeships Support Network provider is contracted by the NT and Australian governments to provide a range of apprenticeship and traineeship administrative, support and regulatory services. These include:

• provision of information and advice to employers, apprentices, trainees and other interested parties
• administration of the contract of training, and
• monitoring apprentices and trainees in the workplace, the Australian Apprenticeships Support Network provider may also visit school based apprentices and trainees at school.