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 |
PRI3 Trainee |
12 mths |
15 |
420 |
face to face / |
|
BSB30415 Certificate III in Business Administration |
PRI3 Trainee |
12 mths |
13 |
530 |
face to face / online (blended) |
BSB30115 Certificate III in Business |
PRI3 Trainee |
12 mths |
12 |
530 |
face to face / online (blended) |
PRI3 Trainee |
12 mths |
13 |
530 |
face to face / online (blended) |
|
CPC30211 Certificate III in Carpentry |
PRI1 Apprentice |
42 mths |
34 |
1200 |
face to face / |
PRI1 Apprentice |
42 mths |
34 |
1200 |
face to face / |
|
RII30820 Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations |
PRI1 Apprentice |
36 mths |
20 |
1400 |
face to face / |
RII30920 Certificate III in Civil Construction (Pipe Laying) |
PRI1 Apprentice |
36 mths |
26 |
920 |
face to face / |
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.