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Qld heavy vehicle apprenticeship trial seeks support

TAFE plans to design trade pathway program for heavy vehicle engineering training and placements

 

Queensland’s TAFE institute is trying to gauge industry interest in a proposed pilot that aims to offer alternative apprenticeship programs in the heavy vehicle sector.

The proposal is in response to a state government bid to trial alternative delivery arrangements that can not only improve the rate of apprenticeship commencements but also reduce the cost borne by employers when they hire fresh apprentices.

TAFE Queensland is proposing to design a complimentary trade pathway program for engineering apprenticeships that will offer institutional training in the range of four to 10 weeks and vocational placements between two to four weeks.

The proposed 24-month program will run across the state and include an eight-month institutional-based component where participants will complete all the off-the-job requirements of an apprenticeship.

The institutional training will also include two months’ vocational placement.

Upon completion of the training, the candidates will be signed into a training contract as an apprentice with an aim to complete the on-the-job requirements of the apprenticeship over the remaining 16 months. 

Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia national operations manager Paul Woodland says, while the success of the pilot will be measured through the employment of graduates as apprentices, it can be achieved by matching candidates to the right program.

TAFE Queensland says it plans to be involved in all aspects of the program, including:

  • recruitment and interviewing of applicants for the program
  • assisting in the development of training plans and the training program for participants to ensure training aligns to tasks in the workplace
  • provision of vocational placement
  • participation in work readiness aspects of the training including outlining employer expectations within the workplace, and
  • employing graduates of the program.

TAFE says applicants will also be required to undertake the Harrison Career Assessment Tool, which measures up to 175 work-related traits such as task preference, work environment preference, interests and personal preferences, prior to the interview to determine their suitability for the proposed apprenticeship.

TAFE is asking businesses whether they would be interested in supporting such a pilot.

Responses can be emailed to Paul Woodland at p.woodland@hvia.asn.au by Friday.

 

 

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