To identify potential workplace opportunities prior to the commencement of the student’s work placement.

Ensure that employees understand the purpose of the workplace learning activity.

Provide students and their work placement co-ordinator with details of arrangements for the first day.

Appoint an appropriate supervisor for the student.

Provide a safe working environment.

Negotiate a structured learning situation for the student.

Negotiate the outcomes to be addressed and the competencies that can be covered.

Plan a training program that addresses the outcomes and suggest the approximate time required.

Monitor the progress of the student.

Complete the employers’ section of the student’s work placement booklet.

Communicate with the supervising teacher as necessary during the work placement period.

Notify South West Connect if the students do not attend work placement when they are supposed to.

Work placement is very different from work experience.

WORK EXPERIENCE – is usually undertaken by Year 10 students (sometimes Year 11) as part of Work Education studies, and is usually up to 5 days. The aim of a work experience placement is for a student to gain an understanding of an occupation or business and to undertake small tasks where appropriate, under the supervision of a qualified and experienced employee. The employer is usually required to complete a form to acknowledge the student’s attendance, attitude and interest. Work experience is unpaid and voluntary.

WORK PLACEMENT (often called a “Structured Work Placement”) is a placement undertaken by Year 11 or 12 students (sometimes Year 10) with an employer as part of a chosen vocational course at school, and can vary from 1 to 4 weeks. The placement needs to demonstrate that a student can display the necessary skills (learnt in the classroom or on the job), which can be assessed against competencies required in the Training Package they are learning from. A work placement would usually be a requirement of a vocational course, with credit towards a student’s HSC and Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications. Employers are usually required to complete a logbook to acknowledge student competencies. Work placements are unpaid and voluntary.

No, the student is not covered by the host employer’s insurance policy at all, therefore not affecting the host employer’s insurance or policies.

The students have comprehensive insurance coverage through their school and departmental body. The insurance policies cover employer indemnity, public liability indemnity, damage to employers’ property and compensation to students and teachers. The departmental bodies are; Department of Education (DoE) for all Government schools and TAFE, Catholic Schools NSW for all Catholic Schools and Association of Independent Schools (AIS) for any other participating school.

No. Students on placement are classified as ‘voluntary workers’ and host employers are not required to make any payment to them under the Federal or State award covering their industry, the NSW Annual Holidays Act or the Workers Compensation Act. Any payment to the student may invalidate the Department’s insurance and indemnity arrangements.

As organisations are funded to facilitate workplace learning, no service fee should be charged for organising work placement.

The activities which students are prohibited to perform are:

Serve alcohol

Use dangerous machinery

Air travel on charter flights and aircraft other than those providing a regular public transport service.

Travel by helicopter

Travel outside the 12 nautical mile limit at sea

Scuba and deep sea diving

Any work of a sexual or explicit nature

Attendance at abattoirs

Work on roofs or roof cavity

Work where asbestos is present

High risk construction work

Demolition sites

Excavation sites

Activities that require a license that a student does not hold.

Use certain construction machinery unless suitably trained, instructed and supervised

If you have any problems or questions please contact us

All courses have an Work Health and Safety component which is completed prior to students undertaking work placement. The purpose of this component is to provide students with the skills and knowledge determined by the NSW Work Health and Safety Act. Where special protective clothing or equipment (PPE) is required by WHS legislation or by the host employer, students will be notified by their teacher prior to commencing work placement. Students studying Construction and Entertainment Industry will have a Work Cover issued General Construction Induction Card (White Card).

It is the role of the host organisation to also ensure the student is conducting work placement within an environment that is WHS compliant.

Working with children and young people is very rewarding. However, to ensure the safety and welfare of young people in your workplace, you and your staff must comply with a few simple rules. It is your responsibility as the employer to ensure that your staff know how to conduct themselves appropriately with children and young people. They must avoid any conduct that could make a young person feel threatened or coerced or belittled. This could include initiation activities or horseplay involving the student; physical or verbal abuse such as swearing at students; physical assault; inappropriate conversations, remarks or jokes of a sexual nature; the showing of sexually suggestive publications, electronic media or illustrations and any unwarranted and/or inappropriate touching or personal communication with students regarding their sexual feelings.

This includes texting or using social media. As an employer, you will be asked to indicate on the Student Placement Record that, to your knowledge, there is nothing in the background of any staff member or person in close contact with the student that would make them unsuitable for working with children. Host employers must report any allegations against an employee in the area of child protection to the Principal of the school or the relevant TAFE NSW Institute Manager. Child protection legislation requires that allegations about employee conduct be reported to the NSW Ombudsman. Allegations involving suspected abuse, harm or risk of significant harm to the student must also be reported to the Community Services Child Protection Hotline 13 36 27 and, in some cases, to the NSW Police.

In the event of a student being injured or involved in an accident whilst at the workplace, appropriate first aid or emergency care procedures should be immediately sought.

As soon as practicable the student’s teacher, South West Connect and the student’s parents / guardians should be notified.
If the student has supplied you with an Accident Form, please complete it and forward it to the school.