Frequently Asked Questions
The Work Placement FAQ’s
How will Work Placement benefit YOU?
Host Employers
Host employers have the opportunity to:
- • Be involved in the education and training of young people
- • Meet and train potential employees and contribute to the development of a committed and skilled workforce
- • Enhance the professional development of their own employees as they gain experience as workplace supervisors
- • Identify young people with potential to enhance your industry
- • Raise the profile of their enterprise and develop more links with the local community.
Students
Students have the opportunity to:
- • Experience real work situations
- • Access industry standard facilities, equipment and experienced staff
- • Develop self-confidence, skills and understandings that will assist them in their transition to meaningful work
- • Learn about what attitudes and skills employers are looking for.
- • Gain understanding of what careers and opportunities are available and what training and further education is needed.
- • Evaluate their abilities and interests in relation to career choices.
How to make a positive Work Placement learning experience?
Employer
Before the placement
- • Ensure that employees understand the purpose of the Work Placement activity. Emphasise:
- o That students are to be treated with respect and courtesy, just as they should treat you and your staff,
- o The special responsibilities of working with young people relating to their safety, welfare and well-being,
- o Students must not be used in place of regular paid employees.
- • Appoint experienced staff to co-ordinate the program and mentor the student.
- • Ensure that you have provided NBBEN with clear information about the type of activities you can provide and any special requirements such as first day arrangements or behaviour, and clothing and safety regulations.
- • Where students with special needs have been identified – including students with learning disabilities – liaise with the nominated school coordinator to ensure that the students’ needs are understood and appropriate adjustments are made.
When the student arrives:
- • Provide each student with a workplace induction including safety instruction, emergency procedures, dress requirements, work expectations, location of facilities, working hours, and break times.
- • Introduce the student to the supervisor and co-workers. Advise the student of the person who is to be notified in the event of non-attendance and with whom to speak to in regard to any problems or questions.
During the placement:
- • Provide an interesting range and variety of tasks so that students can develop skills related to the agreed outcomes of the program.
- • Establish a supportive environment where students are able to ask questions and accept helpful advice.
- • Ensure that students work normal working hours and are regarded as voluntary workers, not visitors.
- • Ensure students have sufficient time to complete Work Placement journals and assignments.
- • Always provide appropriate instruction and supervision, especially in relation to safety issues. Do not assume previous knowledge/experience.
- • Ensure that students are not assigned tasks that are identified as prohibited activities in the attached insurance document.
Before the student leaves
- • Complete the student evaluation report.
- • Ensure that any identification cards or property on loan have been returned
- • Take time to provide the student with helpful and encouraging feedback.
Thank you for your interest in providing Work Placement opportunities for students. Your contribution to the vocational development of young people is valued and appreciated.
Are students paid?
No. Students are voluntary workers and should not be paid. Any payments to students may invalidate insurance and indemnity agreements.
Are there any employer costs?
No. There is no cost to the employer. Students are covered by school insurance and paying the students voids the insurance.
What about insurance and indemnity?
All students are fully insured by the Department of Education & Training NSW for Public Liability and
Employer Indemnity. For more information please refer to the Employer’s Guide to Workplace Learning.
Whom do I contact if there is a problem?
Employer/ School
If you have any concerns or difficulties during the placement regarding the student or other matters, please contact Mandy Kirkland or Ian Yensch on 9907 3133.
Student
If you have any concerns or difficulties during the placement please contact your teacher or school co-ordinator as soon as possible so that solutions can be found quickly.
What do I do if an accident occurs involving the student?
If a student is injured during a Work Placement learning program (including travel to and from the place of work) the following steps should be taken:
- • Seek medical help immediately.
- • Contact the school as soon as possible and, depending on the seriousness of the injury, contact parents or carers.
- • Ask the doctor attending for a medical certificate.
- • Use the student’s Medicare number. As students are not employees, Workers’ Compensation does not apply.
- • Complete a written report of the accident and forward it to the school. Include a full statement from the student and employer or employees involved.
How long are the programs?
This varies. Students usually spend a week with an employer but shorter or longer periods are possible to arrange. Some students come to a workplace one day per week for an extended period of time.
When can Work Placement learning occur?
Work Placement learning is usually scheduled on weekdays during school or TAFE NSW terms. This can be varied on occasion for individual students in Years 11 and 12 with the approval of the school or TAFE NSW institute. For example, a student may wish to extend their skills by a demanding placement in a busy holiday season or undertake a placement to assist entry to a tertiary course.
What activities are prohibited?
Students must not undertake any of the following activities during Work Placement:
- • Use of machinery or equipment which is dangerous for new or young workers to operate, unless each of the following occurs:
- o The activity is first risk-assessed as suitable for student operation by the host employer.
- o The student has been given appropriate information, instruction and training and a checklist for the safe operation and handling of the equipment.
- o The equipment is in safe working order, complete with required safety devices or guards.
- o A suitably qualified or experienced person in the workplace who has good communication skills and the ability to give clear instructions provides on-going close supervision.
- • The service of alcohol unless the student is over 18; the activity is essential to the placement and has been agreed to by the school or TAFE NSW institute and the student has completed the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) Training Course.
- • Travel by helicopter.
- • Air travel on charter flights and aircraft other than those providing a regular public transport service (ie on a regular route with paying passengers).
- • Travel outside the 12 nautical mile limit at sea.
- • Scuba and deep-sea diving.
- • The following ‘high risk construction work’ as defined in the NSW OHS Regulation (2001): construction work in tunnels or involving the use of explosives or work in and around gas and electrical installations; near traffic or moving plant, or demolition work other than simple stripping of walls etc.
- • Any excavation work at a depth of one metre or more; at a depth under one metre without direct supervision by a competent person; near utilities work on caissons or cofferdams (permanent or temporary structures respectively, used to enable excavation and construction work).
- • Work on a roof.
- • Any activities involving or adjacent to the repair, removal or demolition of any construction work containing asbestos or in the clean-up process following the activity.
- • Attendance at a site while chimney stacks or buildings are being demolished.
- • Scheduled work as set out in Chapter 9 of the NSW OHS Regulation 2001, unless there are exceptional circumstances and the student, aged 18 or over, already has achieved the necessary certification.
- • Any activity requiring a license (eg; a driver’s license), permit or certificate of competence unless:
- o The student already has the relevant current license, permit or certificate.
- o The activity is directly related to the learning outcomes of the placement.
- o The activity is included in the Student Placement Record prior to approval.
- o Note: students are not expected to drive their own vehicles while undertaking activities on behalf of the host employer.
- • Any work of a sexual or explicit nature.
Funded by the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations and the NSW Board of Vocational Education and Training.
