User Choice Queensland Funded Apprenticeships and Traineeships Offered

Australian Consolidated Training offers the following qualifications as funded apprenticeships or traineeships in Queensland:

Traineeships

• AHC20416 Certificate II in Horticulture
• BSB30120 Certificate III in Business

Apprenticeships 

• AHC30921 Certificate III in Landscape Construction
• AHC31021 Certificate III in Parks and Gardens    
• AHC31319 Certificate III in Sports Turf Management       
• CPC30220 Certificate III in Carpentry 
• CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating 
• CPC31220 Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining      

The ACT Apprenticeship/Traineeship Model

The Australian Consolidated Training model for apprenticeships/traineeships is based on a number of principles:

• to develop workplace skills and knowledge, the best place to learn is at the workplace
• to ensure happy employers, the training should be planned around the work happening at the workplace so that the apprentice/trainee is an actively contributing member of staff
• the units of competency achieved in the first 6 months should ensure that the apprentice/trainee has basic skills (and therefore they are an asset to the business early in the apprenticeship/traineeship) and knowledge (including achieving workplace health and safety competency before undertaking other units of competency)
• learning on-the-job entails the development of effective relationships between the apprentice/trainee, the supervisor and the employer
• a happy apprentice/trainee is one who is provided with constant feedback, guidance and assurance
• the Trainer/Assessor is available for discussions, provides guidance and training to ensure that the apprentice/trainee achieves a well-rounded training outcome

Roles:

• Apprentice/Trainee: actively participates in training and assessment activities, liaises with the Supervisor and Manager regarding planning for learning opportunities/tasks and progress.
• Supervisor: provides workplace supervision and instruction of workplace tasks, works with the ACT Trainer/Assessor in evidence gathering to support assessment decisions, liaises with the Manager regarding planning for learning opportunities/tasks and progress
• Manager: provides guidance, mentoring, support and encouragement, monitors progress and liaises with the Trainer/Assessor to ensure that training outcomes meet the needs of the organisation
• ACT Trainer/Assessor: provides guidance and direction within the apprenticeship/traineeship, assists in planning for tasks and learning opportunities at the workplace, provides support to the apprentice/trainee to complete workbooks, gather evidence and undertakes assessment activities and evidence gathering activities, provides guidance and support to the Supervisor to support and enhance the learning process, liaises with the Manager to ensure that training outcomes meet the needs of the organisation, and provides any gap training to ensure the training outcomes meet the needs of the industry

Student Contribution Fees

Student Contribution Fees are an apprentice/trainee’s contribution to the cost of tuition. As an apprentice/trainee under the User Choice Queensland funding program, it is mandatory to pay Student Contribution Fees. Student Contribution Fees are currently set at $1.60 per nominal hour for each unit of competency (as set by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training Queensland). These fees may change at the discretion of the Department.

Apprentices/trainees may be eligible for a partial or full exemption from these fees if they provide evidence they are in one of the exemption categories below:

Partial Exemption (apprentice must pay 40% of Student Contribution Fee)

• If you are or will be under 17 at the end of February in the year training is provided, and you are not at school and did not completed year 12;
• If you hold a health care card or pensioner card issued under Commonwealth law, or are the partner or dependent of a person who holds a health care card or pensioner concession card, and are named on the card;
• If you have an official form under Commonwealth law confirming that you, your partner or the person of whom you are a dependent, is entitled to concessions under a health care card or pensioner concession card; or
• If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person

Full Exemption

• If you would be caused extreme financial hardship, you may be exempt from the fees;
• If you are a school-based apprentice/trainee

Free Training for Under 25s 

• Students who are under 25 years of age who commence training in a high priority qualification are not required to pay co-contribution fees as these are paid by Department of Employment, Small Business and Training on the students behalf.

Student contribution fees apply for all units of competency (including any which are achieved by recognition of prior learning) unless you have previously achieved the unit of competency (either the same unit name and code, or deemed equivalent) and provide a Statement of Attainment or verified USI transcript as evidence.

Student contribution fees are payable prior to the commencement of each new unit of competency. Student contribution fees must be paid before you will be issued with and commence training in the unit of competency. You may apply for exemption at any time for fees that have not yet been charged.

Refunds of Student Contribution Fees for User Choice Funded Apprenticeships/Traineeships

• A full refund will be paid to apprentices/trainees for Student Contribution Fees charged for training delivery that has not commenced at the time of the cancellation of enrolment
• Where an apprentice/trainee has withdrawn from a Unit of Competency and training has commenced, a refund of 50% will apply

Employer Fees

Due to the increasing costs of providing training services, an employer fee applies for all AHC Certificate III apprenticeships ($1,500 in total payable in two instalments)