L e a r n e r H a n db o ok - Work Skills

Learner Handbook

This handbook provides information for Students in allStates and Territories of Australia enrolled in a qualification through Work Skills under all

funding arrangements

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ContentsIntroduction 3

Supporting your training 4Disability Services 4Study Support 4Language 4Counselling 4

Getting Started 4

Enrolment 5

Service Fees 5Student Contribution Fees (SCF) 6How the Student Contribution Fee is calculated 7

Contractual agreement 7

Refunds 7

Complaints and Appeals 8

Recognition of Prior Learning 9

Credit Transfers 10

Reissuing of Certificates 10

Student and Trainee Records 10

Issuing AQF Qualifications 11

Responsibilities 11Workplace Health and Safety 11Changes to Agreed Services 11

Privacy 11Students 12

Apprentices and Trainees 12

Discipline 13

Glossary and Useful Links 14

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Introduction

Work Skills is a Nationally Registered Training Organisation, otherwise known as an ‘RTO’.We are proud and excited to be considered as the Training Organisation to deliver thetraining and assessment for your qualification.

In most cases you will be reading this booklet as you are new to the world of VET (VocationalEducation and Training) but even if not, there’s still a lot of great information in the booklet that isvery beneficial to you.

Who is Involved?

A range of people may be involved in your training depending on the type and mode ofcourse you enrol in.As an Apprentice or Trainee this may include:

● Your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) contact● Your employer● Your Group Training Organisation (GTO)● Your state training authority● Your School (if school based)● Your parents (if you are under 18)● Your trainer and assessor and,● Work Skills administration support staff

As a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Trade Recognition applicant this may include:

● Work Skills administration support staff● Your trainer and assessor● Current or previous employers to support your application

Other training arrangements generally include contact with:

● Work Skills administration support staff● Your trainer and assessor● Your employer (for work based)

Work Skills, as a Registered Training Organisation, is bound to uphold the Standards overseen bythe Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). ASQA regulates the VET sector and is continuallyworking with RTOs to improve the products and services offered to you, so you can feel confident inthe quality of training you are receiving.

The information in this guide is designed to assist you to make an informed decision about trainingwith Work Skills and you can refer to this Handbook throughout your training as and when

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required. Any questions you may have can be sent to [email protected] or you can phone uson 1300 360 567.

Supporting your trainingAt Work Skills we want to see you succeed.That’s why we offer personalised supportevery step of the way.Our values, our team and our service partnersensure you receive the highest qualityeducation and training.

Disability ServicesIf you have a disability or medical condition –whether it is physical or psychological,temporary or permanent – we can assist youwith your enrolment options as well as youreducation and training.

Let us know what your needs are as soon aspossible so we can discuss support that’s rightfor you. If you have a disability you may beeligible for ‘Reasonable Adjustment’ duringyour study.

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA),through the Disability Standards for Educationrequires providers to take reasonable steps toenable the student with a disability toparticipate in education on the same basis asa student without a disability, and specificallyto ensure that:

● teaching materials are appropriate tothe needs of the student.

● course learning activities aresufficiently flexible for the student tobe able to participate.

● study materials are available in anappropriate format for the student.

Study SupportThe enrolment process includes a LanguageLiteracy and Numeracy check. Studentsidentified as needing support will receiveacademic and vocational counselling fromappropriately qualified training staff at WorkSkills.

LanguageFor learners requiring support with English werecommend The Adult Migrant EnglishProgram (AMEP), this is a free course foreligible migrants.

CounsellingAny Student who displays signs of distress willbe approached by the training or assessingstaff with an offer of support. Support maytake the form of a referral, advice or otherassistance depending on the nature of theproblem. For learners needing crisis Supportwe advise you to immediately contact

Lifeline 13 11 14 (available 24 hours)

Getting Started

The Work Skills website provides coursebrochures for all of the courses on offer.The information on these brochures coverthe courses subjects (units), modes ofstudy and work based training andassessment requirements. The time tocomplete can vary for each learnerdepending on prior knowledge or study,which may reduce the duration of the

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course. It is important for you tounderstand the cost and commitmentrequired. That's why the enrolmentprocess will provide you with specificinformation to inform your choices.

Moving Forward

Work Skills has an easy 4 Stepprocess for enrolling and notifyingyou of fees or additional chargesapplicable, if any, prior tocommitment.

Enrolment

Once a decision is made by you toproceed, the following steps areimplemented:

1. Work Skills Sign Ups team will send you a‘Welcome To Work Skills’ email containingyour Learner Handbook and PrivacyNotice.

2. Work Skills Sign Ups team will then makecontact over the phone with you and your

employer to confirm your enrolmentdetails, discuss your fees and paymentoptions for the Tuition Fee Agreement(TFA), and prepare your Training Plan.

3. We then send off the Tuition FeeAgreement and Training Plan using thedigital signing platform ‘PleaseSign’. TheTuition Fee Agreement outlines all theconditions, fees, additional costs, gapfees and payment methods, which havebeen confirmed over the phone and youcan review these details once morebefore you sign the document. TheTraining Plan outlines the list of units intowhich you will be enrolling and a plannedtimeline of your training.

4. Once the Sign Ups team receives yoursigned digital documents and any upfrontfees are paid (if applicable), we can thenproceed to organise your first visit with atrainer.

Service Fees

Throughout the Work Skills enrolmentprocess, you as the “ProspectiveStudent/Customer” is providedinformation on course outlines, coursecosts, payment method options andstudy methods.

For non-government funded courses (FeeFor Service) where there is a fee payableby the user, there is a non-refundableenrolment/administration fee that will bediscussed and agreed to in advance and

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will also appear on the Tuition FeeAgreement.

For government subsidisedQualifications, information is alsoprovided on:

● Gap fees● Student contribution fees● Travel costs● All other costs where applicable● Any other relevant information

* Prices quoted are for courses andqualifications delivered in Brisbane andits immediate suburbs. AdditionalCharges may be applicable and requestedfrom the Employer/Industry or you theStudent to cover the expenses of travel(flights/accommodation/car rentalcharges, allowances etc.) and may beapplicable if travel of more than 100km(from Brisbane GPO) is required.

It is a Work Skills policy to ensure thatALL costs are kept to a minimum andyou will be notified of these (ifapplicable) before enrolment in anytraining or assessment, course orqualification and these will form part ofour Tuition Fee Agreement. This will besigned by all parties before enrolmentor starting of any training that leads to aqualification or course.

If the fees outstanding reach more than$300, you will be contacted to payarrears and training may be suspendeduntil outstanding invoices are up to date.

Payment plans are also offered at aminimum of $9 per week.

Student Contribution Fees (SCF)

In most cases, as part of FundedTraineeships and Apprenticeships, there isa request for a contribution by thestudent/employer to contribute to theoverall cost of the training if funded undera Federal Incentive. (Fee For Servicestudents are not applicable for thischarge)

Where the nominated State Departmentof Education charges a contribution to thecost of training, Work Skills are to collectthis amount. Depending on the State,there are differing calculations and thesewill be discussed prior to enrolment andincluded on any Tuition Fee Agreementsent to you.

There are varying exemptions anddiscounts applicable to the cost of thesefees such as “ Free Apprenticeships forunder 25s” training in Queensland, forstudents under 25 who enrol into a highpriority qualification.

Free apprenticeships for under 25s willalso cover the cost of training forapprentices and trainees who commence,or are undertaking, a priorityapprenticeship or traineeship qualificationfrom 1 January 2021 to 30 September2022.

There are percentage discounts that applyif you are a holder of a Governmentassistance card or identify as Aboriginal oras a Torres Strait Islander. We will ensurethat if you are entitled to any exemptions

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and discounts these are discussed beforeyou start training.

In the case of School based students, youare exempt while you remain at schoolbut it may be applicable to start payingStudent Contribution Fees (SCF) whentransitioning to Full time or Part timeemployment. Again, this will be reflectedon your Tution Fee Agreement, and ifapplicable Work Skills will generate a newTuition Fee Agreement for you to approve.

How the Student Contribution Feeis calculated

The units you are enrolled in are invoicedbased on nominal hours. Nominal hoursare a calculation that is used nationally byall States in Australia as a projected timeframe it takes the student to complete theunit.

These are based on the informationlocated in the Victorian training packagepurchasing guides regardless of the stateVictorian training package purchasingguidesThe hours are based on the average timeit takes to complete a unit.

As an example;In the case of Unit SITHCCC020 - Workeffectively as a cook; this unit has 80nominal hours

Therefore the Student Contribution is 80hours X $1.60 =$128In some cases, a student might completethe unit in 40 hours whilst for others it

may take 120 hours but 80 hours is theaverage set timeframe we are to chargeat, thus the calculation is 80 hours X $1.60=$128.

Contractual agreement

Students who enrol in a training programwith Work Skills should be aware that theyare entering into a contractual agreement.

With a view to ensuring all students arefully aware of their rights and obligations,Work Skills will design training andassessment strategies, agreements,enrolment forms, TFAs or similar in such away that can be interpreted and read byusers of all ages.

Work Skills exist in order that students canlearn and become skilled in the professionthey choose, and we do everythingpossible to ensure you are 100% happywith our service offering and theachievement of your desired outcome.

Refunds

A monetary refund may be applicablewhen a student or employer has paid feesin advance for any training and/orassessment (including RPL) that has notbeen started. Any travel expensesincurred by Work Skills or Gap Fees paidare ineligible for a refund at any time afterthey have been paid.

In instances where a customer may beentitled to a refund because of, forexample, the agreed payment plan hasgone into credit, a refund will be provided

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within 30 days of cancellation orcompletion, to the bank accountnominated on the Payment Plan form.This allows time for the file to be audited,ensuring accuracy of the amount to berefunded to you.

Should a course cease due to unexpectedcircumstances experienced by Work Skills ,a refund will be provided for anyincomplete unit/s in which students areenrolled.

Complaints and Appeals

Work Skills mission is to deal with allcomplaints and appeals swiftly andefficiently with the aim of achievingpositive outcomes for all parties involved.We are ready to listen. Work Skills willensure that complaints or appeals overlearning, assessment or non-academicoutcomes are dealt with fairly and withhigh regard to the student’s level ofunderstanding and needs. Work Skills willensure that any advice or guidanceprovided to students on the steps theymay follow to achieve a satisfactoryoutcome is unbiased, fair and expressedin terms and at a level appropriate to theperson's needs and understanding. Ourcomplaints and appeals process followsthe principles of natural justice andprocedural fairness.

We achieve this through the followingprocedure:

● If a complaint of any nature, or appeal toa decision, is made whether it is bytelephone call, email, in writing or in

person, a Work Skills Manager willrespond to the complaint or appeal byregistering the complaint/appeal.

● The Complainant/Appellant will have anopportunity to formally present his orher case whether this is by email, inwriting or in person at our premises inBrisbane.

● The Work Skills Manager will investigatethe complaint/appeal. If required, aformal complaint/appeal panel will beassembled consisting of the relevantManager, Independent Trainer andAccess and Equity representative. Alldiscussions regarding a formal complaintwill be recorded on the Notification ofFormal Complaint Report Form.

● All decisions made regarding the matterand reasons for the decisions will berecorded in the Complaints and AppealsRegister. The Complainant/Appellant willbe kept informed of all actions by phone oremail. Any conversations or emails are alsorecorded. If the matter needs to beresolved by way of negotiation, then a copywill be sent to the Complainant/Appellantfor their records.

If a complainant is dissatisfied with theoutcomes of their formal complaint, theymay wish to lodge an appeal with theDirector (the most senior position in theorganisation) within 21 days from the dateof the original decision from the formalcomplaint. An internal appeal must be inwriting.

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All completed reports will be filed with theStudent records. An electronic copy of thecomplaint or appeal is filed in theComplaints and Appeals folder.

NOTE: If any member called upon to sit ona panel is deemed to have, or has thepotential to have, a bias to theproceedings, this member will beremoved and replaced.

A complaint can be defined as anindividual person’s or business’expression of dissatisfaction with anyaspect of Work Skills service andactivities, including both academic andnon-academic matters.

Students can obtain timeframes andfurther information on how Work Skillshandle complaints and appeals fromour Complaints and Appeals HandlingPolicy and Procedure available on ourwebsite (www.workskills.com.au) or bycontacting Work Skills on 1300 360567.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is theformal acknowledgement of a person’sskill and knowledge acquired throughprevious training, work or life experienceand may be used to grant status or creditin a qualification or part of a qualification.

The generic term ‘Recognition’ coversrecognition of prior learning and skillsrecognition and encompasses therecognition of competencies currently

held, regardless of how, when, or wherethe learning or skill acquisition occurred.

Recognition is an integral component ofthe Vocational Education and Training(VET) system and is encouraged by WorkSkills.

What Is The ‘Recognition’Process?The process of Recognition involvescollecting evidence that verifies yourcompetence, from a range of sources. Thisevidence can include any combination of

formal and/or informal training andeducation, work history and/or general lifeexperience.

The evidence you provide may comefrom sources including:● Work records, including documents

that demonstrate tasks you perform,e.g. position descriptions and workprofiles.

● Signed and dated references● Records of workplace training

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● Résumé (with verification)● Third party reports from current and

previous supervisors, trainers,managers, parents and colleagues

● Certified copies of qualifications● Confirmation of relevant unpaid work

or volunteer experience● Examples of work products● Diaries or journal entries

demonstrating daily tasks or events● Visual and verified evidence such as

videos, photos, reports of activities inwhich you have been strongly involved

● Awards or recognition you havereceived

● Samples of the work you complete orhave completed

● A report from a supervisor that hasbeen signed and dated

● Observation of your performance inthe workplace.

Credit Transfers

If you have a USI Transcript, Statement ofAttainment, Statement of Results,Academic History, AuthenticatedVocational Education and Training (VET)Transcript showing modules /units ofcompetencies achieved, you may beentitled to “Credit Transfers”. Copies ofthe above documentation must besubmitted for Work Skills forauthentication prior to the credit transferbeing granted. There is no cost for CreditTransfers.

Reissuing of CertificatesIf you are a previous Work SkillsApprentice/Trainee and require us tore-issue your certificate for any reason,

you will be required to complete thefollowing process:

● Supply photo evidence (such as adriver's license or passport) showingcomplete name and address, along witha separate photo (i.e. a ‘Selfie’)

● If the certificate has been issued byWork Skills but not received, thestudent has 6 months from the date ofpostage to contact Work Skills for areprinted copy. Photo evidence, aslisted above, with a confirmation inwriting that the credential was notreceived is required.

● For certificates that are lost ordestroyed, photo evidence as aboveand an explanation in writing of thenature of the request is required. Feesmay apply.

● If a certificate is re-issued (for anyreason) an administration fee of $50.00per certificate will be required to bepaid prior to its release. Emailed copiesare free of charge.

Student and Trainee Records

Work Skills ensure that specific recordsrequired by external authorities are keptup to date and accurate and for therelevant retention period. These recordswill be made available to the student onrequest. These will be destroyed after thelegal retention period, however there-issuing of qualifications is still possible.(See section on procedure for re-issuingqualifications).

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Issuing AQF Qualifications

On successful completion of all therequired units in a qualification, thestudent will be issued their Certificate. Ifthe student has been assessed ascompetent in one or more units, but notthe entire qualification, a Statement ofAttainment will be issued.

All graduates who have completed aprogram of learning that leads to theaward of an AQF qualification are entitledto receive the following certificationdocumentation on award of thequalification:

● A testamur● A record of results

Accredited courses delivered by WorkSkills are recognised anywhere inAustralia.

Responsibilities

Workplace Health and Safety

As with all Staff working in any industry,Students, Apprentices and Trainees are tocomply at all times with all WorkplaceHealth and Safety Requirements of theindustry and enterprise and to be wellinformed of any enterprise specificrequirements.Visits between Student and Trainer are tobe held in a safe, clean and quiet location,away from workplace distractions toensure quality outcomes are achieved.

Changes to Agreed Services

If any part of the student’s serviceschange, Work Skills will notify the studentand employer (if applicable) as soon aspractical to explain the changes, why thechanges are required and how thechanges will take place. This will takeplace either via the phone, email orface-to-face. The method will depend onthe type of change that is required. In allinstances, all parties will be keptinformed.

Privacy

Work Skills will respect the privacy of allpersons associated; be it staff, students,apprentices, trainees, employers and allother personnel and stakeholders.

No information concerning any personwill be revealed to any other, unless eitherrequired by law, or authorised for releaseby the person concerned.

Individuals will be granted access to theirpersonal files for perusal only. They will berequired to show proof of identity.

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Permission to have access to personalfiles will be given only after writtenapplication to the Company is made.

Work Skills complies with the 13Australian Privacy Principles (APP). Furtherinformation can be located on Work SkillsWebsitehttps://workskills.com.au/resources-information/

Students

Work Skills aims to provide anenvironment to support quality vocationaleducation and training to benefitindividuals, industry, business and thewider community.

As a Work Skills Student, you have theright to:

● Expect that the education and trainingwill be consistent with the Standardsfor Registered Training Organisations2015, and the Vocational Educationand Training Quality Frameworkhttps://www.asqa.gov.au/about/australias-vet-sector/vet-quality-framework

● Be informed about personalinformation that is collected about youand the right to review and correct thatinformation

● Access to Work Skills Complaints andAppeals Handling process

With rights come responsibilities and as astudent of Work Skills your responsibilitiesinclude:

● Providing accurate and completeinformation to Work Skills

● Participate in training and assessmentactivities in a responsible and ethicalmanner

● Pay any fees applicable as agreed

● Provide your Unique StudentIdentification (USI) number or obtainone at enrolment

● Agree to abide by Work Skills policiesand procedures as outlined in thisbooklet, training and operationallywhile we are your nominated Trainingprovider

● Not copy in any way, ANY materialsprovided without checking to ascertainwhether there is any potential breach ofcopyright. It is illegal to reproduce ordistribute or disseminate any contentsupplied by Work Skills or WOLASRevolution for any reason.

If additional information is required,please check with your Work Skills oremail [email protected]

Apprentices and Trainees

Useful information you need to know asan apprentice or trainee is provided bythe Fair Work Ombudsman in the Guide tostarting an Apprenticeship located onlineat:

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https://www.fairwork.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/712/guide-to-starting-an-apprenticeship.pdf.aspx

Discipline

Work Skills retains the right to takeappropriate action against a Student whobreaches acceptable practices andbehaviour. If in the event a Work Skillstrainer or staff member is made to feelintimidated or uncomfortable, in muchthe same way as per the legislation andregulations mentioned in this handbook,then training will cease immediately andthe actions be referred to the appropriateauthority.

In all instances Work Skills will work withparties to remedy any situations that mayarise from time to time. We will use ourComplaints and Appeals Handling processto document and facilitate the requiredchanges.

Work Skills retains the right to suspend orcancel training and assessment services incase of serious misconduct and/orbreaches of safety that are not rectified.

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Glossary

RTO - Registered Training Organisation

Initial Checkpoint Meeting- First meeting held

with student and trainer, and if applicable

students’ supervisor to ensure agreements,

commitments, responsibilities, operational

procedures, outcomes and all related training

activity.

WOLAS Revolution – Work Skills Learning and

Assessment System that hosts all

components, where applicable, of student,

employer and training information, learning

and assessments

AQF -Australian Qualifications Framework

RPL - Recognition of Prior Learning

TFA - Tuition Fee Agreement

PP - Payment Plan

DESBT - Department of Education, Small

Business and Training

SCF - Student Contribution Fees

AASN - Australian Apprenticeship Support

Network

PleaseSign – Digital Signing Application used

by Work Skills to complete the signing of all

documentation

LLN - Language, Literacy and Numeracy. A

process to determine and identify areas that

may require assistance from us to help you

understand your learning and assessment.

This is not a test.

SRTO - Supervising Registered Training

Organisation

Useful Links

ASQA - AustralianSkills QualityAuthority

https://www.asqa.gov.au/

AustralianQualificationsFramework

https://www.aqf.edu.au/

Fairwork Australia http://www.fairwork.gov.au

AustralianApprenticeships

https://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/

National Registerof VocationalEducation andTraining

https://training.gov.au/

Myskills https://www.myskills.gov.au/career-info/starting-your-career/

V7.0 080421

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