User Choice and School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

The User Choice program provides a public funding contribution towards the cost of training and assessment for eligible Queensland apprentices and trainees including School-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is eligible for funding as an Apprentice or Trainee?

To be eligible for funding you must:

  • Enter into a User Choice funded program training contract with your employer
  • Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrant) or temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permit on the pathway to permanent residency or a New Zealand citizen
  • Have the consent of a parent or guardian where required for under 18s
  • Not exceed the maximum of two government funded User Choice contributions (the second funded qualification must be a priority one or a higher priority than the first to be eligible)

What qualifications are included under the User Choice program?

DGT Employment and Training #RTO 1719 eligible courses:

Qualifications

Priority Qual

Nominal Duration (fulltime)

UoC

Maximum nominal

hours

Delivery mode

AHC20416 Certificate II in Horticulture

PRI3

Trainee

12 mths

15

420

face to face /
workplace based

BSB30415 Certificate III in Business Administration
(transition expires 30/06/2022 and SATs 31/12/2022)

PRI3

Trainee

12 mths

13

530

face to face / online (blended)
workplace based

BSB30115 Certificate III in Business
(transition expires 30/06/2022 and SATs 31/12/2022)

PRI3

Trainee

12 mths

12

530

face to face / online (blended)
workplace based

BSB30120 Certificate III in Business

PRI3

Trainee

12 mths

13

530

face to face / online (blended)
workplace based

CPC30211 Certificate III in Carpentry
(transition expires 22/11/2022)

PRI1

Apprentice

42 mths

34

1200

face to face /
workplace based

CPC30220 Certificate III in Carpentry

PRI1

Apprentice

42 mths

34

1200

face to face /
workplace based

RII30820 Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations

PRI1

Apprentice

36 mths

20

1400

face to face /
workplace based

RII30920 Certificate III in Civil Construction (Pipe Laying)

PRI1

Apprentice

36 mths

26

920

face to face /
workplace based

Choose the right apprenticeship or traineeship for you, talk to family, friends, school career counsellors or guidance officers - and gather information on different career options.

You can also get a 'taste' before commencing some apprenticeships. This can be done by participating in a pre-vocational or pre-apprenticeship course. See what DGT Employment and Training offers through its Certificate 3 Guarantee and VETis funded programs.

What are the conditions of enrolment?

Throughout your enrolment you must:

  • Not undertake more than one apprenticeship or traineeship at the same time
  • Maintain your training record
  • Pay a co-contribution fee - partial or full exemptions may apply (SATs are exempt from paying the co-contribution fee)

What are the co-contribution fees?

Student co-contribution fees are:

  • $1.60 per nominal hour (per unit)
  • $0.64 per nominal hour (per unit) for eligible partial exemption

DGT Employment and Training will consult with the student and employer to develop a Training Plan and provide a breakdown of the fees for each unit enrolment. The apprentice, trainee, their employer or a third-party will enter into an agreement as to who will pay the co-contribution fee and the relevant party will be invoiced as each unit of competency is commenced.

Who is eligible for a concession?

Evidence must be provided with your exemption application.

  • Partial exemption (60% concession):
  • Health care or Concession card hold or their dependant or evidence there of
  • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, as indicated on your enrolment form

Full fee exemption:

  • Evidence that the co-contribution fee payment would cause extreme financial hardship
  • School-based apprentice or trainee including those who have completed year 12 and are transitioning to full-time or part-time
  • Commencement in a “high priority qualification” in the 12 months since graduating QLD year 12
  • Commencement in a “high priority qualification” on or after 1 July 2019 - Under 21 years
  • Commencement in a Training Contract on or after 1 January 2021 in a designated free apprenticeship qualification aged between 21 years and under 25 years
  • Where credit transfer/national recognition has been applied to a unit of competency/module

School-based apprentices and trainees (SATs)

The qualification or competencies completed during the SAT are ‘contributing studies’ to a QCE and will be recorded in the student’s learning account. The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority has more details on how a SAT affects the QCE. SATs are not required to pay a co-contribution fee.

A school-based traineeship may be completed when the student is still an enrolled in school.

A school-based apprenticeship is unlikely to be completed while at school, the training contract is then converted to full-time or part-time if the SAT leaves school early. This process is an automatic conversion to full-time when a SAT completes Year 12.

Throughout your enrolment you must:

  • Have the support of the school, impact the school timetable and where required commit to continuing post school (SATs only)
  • Complete a minimum of 375 hours (50 days) of paid work has been undertaken for each full-time nominal term year (SATs only)

Prior to selecting a course ensure you read the DGT Student Handbook, Refund Policy and course information available on our website: https://www.dgt.org.au

More information

View more information on User Choice, including program documents.

Read about apprenticeships and traineeships.

Funding Providers