A Training Plan is developed and agreed at the start of an apprenticeship setting out the apprentice’s training and assessment arrangements. It is an important document that the employer, apprentice and Bendigo TAFE must sign and provides a record of intent and progress during the apprenticeship.
This is a different document to the Training Contract which is the formal agreement between the employer and the apprentice.
What is a Training Plan?
When does the Training Plan have to be developed?
What is my role in developing the Training Plan?
What does signing the Training Plan mean?
What is a pre-training review?
Should Bendigo TAFE and the employer agree on how and when feedback will be given on the competency of the apprentice?
Who keeps the Training Plan?
Can the Training Plan be changed?
Do the rules differ for school-based apprenticeships under competency based completion?
Anyone commencing an apprenticeship must have a Training Plan that is developed by Bendigo TAFE in negotiation with the employer and the apprentice.
The Training Plan details the agreement between Bendigo TAFE, the employer and the apprentice about the apprentice’s training. It forms the basis of the methods and timing of contact between employer and Bendigo TAFE in order to determine the apprentice’s progression against competencies.
The apprentice’s training should be commenced as soon as possible after enrolment and a Training Plan must be completed preferably before training commences but no later than four weeks after training commences.
Each of the three parties involved in an apprenticeship have a role in developing the Training Plan.
For employers |
You are responsible for working with Bendigo TAFE and the apprentice to develop a Training Plan that meets the apprentice and your needs, and are required to sign the plan to signal your agreement. |
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For apprentices |
You are required to discuss the Training Plan with your employer and Bendigo TAFE and to sign the plan to signal your agreement. |
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It means that all parties (Bendigo TAFE, employer and apprentice) have agreed to all of the details contained in the plan.
For employers, it means that you have agreed to the details in the training plan and have committed to provide feedback to Bendigo TAFE when they contact you as agreed. It also signifies that you have understood that when the apprentice has completed the final competencies, and you have confirmed their competence in writing to Bendigo TAFE, they have completed their apprenticeship.
A pre-training review is a meeting between Bendigo TAFE and the apprentice that considers the current skills and abilities that an apprentice brings into the apprenticeship and informs the development of the Training Plan by Bendigo TAFE.
It may involve the employer, but is often a meeting between Bendigo TAFE and the apprentice to identify specific skills that need to be included to meet the employer’s workplace needs and the apprentice’s qualification requirements. The pre-training review will help decide the training and assessment options available to the apprentice in order to complete their qualification.
This could include building an understanding of specific training that may need to be provided by Bendigo TAFE if the apprentice’s workplace does not offer coverage of particular work functions required as part of the qualification.
Yes. This agreement should be made as part of the Training Plan. Specific details for each party is included below:
For employers |
You should ensure that you have negotiated an agreed time for your feedback on an apprentice’s competence and have this time noted in the relevant section on the Training Plan prior to the Plan being signed.
The purpose of agreeing to a time for feedback to Bendigo TAFE on the competency of the apprentice is to allow for a reasonable period for you to confirm the competence of the apprentice. Prompt feedback allows both the employer and Bendigo TAFE to make adjustments to the apprentice’s training if necessary. |
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For apprentices |
Apprentices should be aware of the agreed timeframe for their employer to provide feedback on their competency to Bendigo TAFE as outlined in their Training Plan. |
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Bendigo TAFE is responsible for keeping the Training Plan and the employer and apprentice should also retain a copy.
Yes. If circumstances change (for example the apprentice is ill, or the workplace access to equipment changes) the Training Plan will need to be updated to accommodate the changes. The changes will have to be agreed to and signed by all parties.
No. Competency based completion requirements apply to all apprenticeships including those under school-based arrangements.
However Bendigo TAFE in conjunction with employers and apprentices need to consider the capacity of a school based apprentice in developing, practicing and achieving complex skills to the required industry standard within the time frame available as part of school based arrangements. This means that the Training Plan should reflect a selection of units that all three parties think is reasonable for the apprentice to demonstrate in the workplace so that the employer can confirm achievement, within the time frames for reporting as part of the relevant senior secondary certificate.