3.0 References: Education and Training Reform Act 2006 Education Training and Reform Regulations 2007

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1 1.0 Purpose: This procedure sets out the processes to be followed by Institute Departments and staff in organising practical placements with a Host Employer to meet curriculum requirements. 2.0 Scope: The scope of this procedure applies to organising arrangements for practical placement. The procedure applies to relevant processes for Teaching Schools and Departments, Department Managers, staff assigned the responsibility of organising practical placement arrangements, the Central Registry Unit, the General Manager, Resource Management Group and students involved practical placement programs. 3.0 References: Education and Training Reform Act 2006 Education Training and Reform Regulations Definitions: Guidelines issued by the Higher Education and Skills Group (Refer Attachment 1). 4.1 "Agreement" - shall mean the agreements specified in the Practical Placement Agreement Form (IF ). 4.2 "Co-ordinator" shall mean the Practical Placement Co-ordinator(s) appointed by an Institute School/Department. 4.3 "Host Employer" shall mean a person, firm or corporation providing an approved practical placement program for Institute students. 4.4 Registered Training Organisation shall mean a training organisation registered under Part 4 of the Education and Training Reform Act "Prescribed" shall mean prescribed by the Institute or any educational authority controlling the curriculum for courses of study at the Institute. 4.6 Practical Placement shall mean a structured program for enrolled students conducted in accordance witha) curriculum requirements; and b) the provisions of these procedures. Programs are conducted at the premises of a Host Employer. Practical placement can be conducted at the Institute where the Institute acts as the Host Employer. Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 1 of 11

2 4.7 Practical Placement Guidelines are designed to assist registered training organisations in administering practical placements for students. These guidelines also provide information on the policy and legislative contexts for practical placements, information for registered training organisations, host employers and students, and model documents for use by registered training organisations. Process Owner: General Manager, Resource Management Verifier: General Manager, Resource Management Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 2 of 11

3 5.0 Procedures No. Procedures Responsibility 5.1 The Institute in conformance with curriculum requirements will arrange for students enrolled in approved courses to undertake the prescribed practical placement related to their course. Teaching Department 5.2 Prior to students commencing a practical placement with a Host Employer, the Institute completes a Practical Placement Agreement with: the Host Employer the student the student's parent/guardian if the student is under 18 years of age 5.3 Prior to enrolled students attending at the premises of any Host Employer for practical placement periods, the Host Employer shall execute a Practical Placement Agreement with the Institute (Practical Placement Agreement - IF ). Student Coordinator Host Employer 5.4 The Department Manager or his/her delegate must approve in writing, through the completion of a Practical Placement Agreement, a) the appointment of persons, firms or corporations as Host Employers of enrolled students for the practical placement periods for a particular course; and b) the attendance of each enrolled student at the premises of a Host Employer for practical placement periods. 5.5 Prior to undertaking any such practical placement period the student will: a) if under the age of l8 years, provide the Co-ordinator with a consent and undertaking in the Practical Placement Agreement duly signed by his/her parents or guardian. b) if over the age of l8 years, provide to the Co-ordinator a consent and undertaking in the Practical Placement Agreement duly signed by the student; Department Manager or delegate Student Coordinator NOTE: A written agreement is one of the fundamental requirements for ensuring that WorkCover insurance is activated for a student on practical placement. 5.6 Completed Practical Placement Agreement Forms (IF ) may be retained temporarily in Departments to facilitate associated Department processes. All Forms are to be forwarded to the Central Registry Unit on the completion of these processes. Teaching Department Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 3 of 11

4 No. Procedures Responsibility 5.7 Contact will be made with the Host Employer to discuss details of the proposed placement, including: any special requirements before the student starts at the workplace; the timing of the placement, including starting and finishing times ;and particular safety or clothing items the student must supply. Coordinator 5.8 The Co-ordinator will be responsible for the administration of the educational purposes, the supervision and assessment of the students concerned. Coordinator 5.9 Students attending practical placement periods will remain subject to all Institute Policies and Procedures. Student 5.10 The Institute delegates to the approved nominated practical placement supervisor of the Host Employer the powers and obligations of a member of the Teaching Staff of the Institute in respect of students attending at the Host Employer s premises for the practical placement periods. Teaching Department 5.11 The Institute maintains WorkCover coverage for students undertaking practical placement through the Higher Education and Skills Group. Institute 5.12 Any student or Host Employer wishing to make a WorkCover claim under the policy/policies referred to in Section 5.11 should process the same through the office of the General Manager Resource Management Group. Student, Host Employer 5.13 Where the Institute acts as the Host Employer, Practical Placement Agreement forms are to be completed by the relevant General Manager who will complete the form on behalf of the Institute as the Host Employer Requests for modification or amendments to Institute Agreement Forms or to the Indemnity Form are to be forwarded to the General Manager Resource Management Group who is authorised to adjust or otherwise amend Agreements in accordance with legislative requirements If a student is injured during a placement, the following procedure is to be followed for lodging a WorkCover claim. General Manager General Manager, Resource Management Group Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 4 of 11

5 No. Procedures Responsibility The student completes and signs a Worker's Claim for Compensation form with the assistance of the Host Employer, and the Practical Placement Co-ordinator if required. (the Worker's Claim for Compensation and the Employer Claim Report forms are available from any Post Office.) Student The RTO (in consultation with the Host Employer) completes and signs the Worker's Claim for Compensation form as required. Host Employer The RTO completes the Employer Claim Report in full, signs and dates the form and forwards both the Worker's Claim for Compensation form and Employer Claim Report, together with any accompanying medical certificates or accounts, to the Practical Placement Co-ordinator. Host Employer The Practical Placement Co-ordinator forwards the original Practical Placement Agreement and all other original documentation to the General Manager Resource Management Group The General Manager, Resource Management Group confirms that the student is employed under an agreement in accordance with the Education and Training Reform Act The General Manager (or his/her representative) forwards all original documentation of all forms, medical accounts etc, except the Practical Placement Agreement which is retained by the registered training organisation and a certified copy of the agreement is supplied to: CGU Workers Compensation GPO Box 2090S MELBOURNE 3001 Phone: (03) Fax: (03) Practical Placement Co-ordinator General Manager, Resource Management Group General Manager, Resource Management Group NOTE: It is mandatory that the Institute forwards these forms to CGU within 10 days of receiving the forms from the Host Employer The Institute retains a copy of all documents in a Practical Placement WorkCover file. These can be located on Registry File 98/64. Central Registry Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 5 of 11

6 6.0 Forms/Records No. Title Form ID No. Retention Time (Min) 6.1 A Guide for Host Employers and Students Location IF Years Relevant Department 6.2 Practical Placement Agreement Form IF Years Relevant Department / Central Registry 6.3 Education and Training Reform Act 2006 Education and Training Reform Regulations Practical Placement Amended Guidelines (as at 06/09/2010) Attachment 1 to the Practical Placement Procedure - Relevant Department / Central Registry - Relevant Department / Central Registry 7.0 Version Control History Date of Version Issue No. 08/02/ Description of Change Approved By Date of Revision Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 6 of 11

7 PRACTICAL PLACEMENT GUIDELINES ATTACHMENT 1 Amended Guidelines For Registered Training Organisations and Employers in relation to students of technical and further education undertaking Practical Placement (the amended Practical Placement Guidelines) These amended Practical Placement Guidelines are made under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (ETRA) and replace the previous practical placement guidelines issued under ETRA on 06 September Purpose of these amended guidelines These guidelines are to assist Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and employers to meet their obligations with respect to arranging practical placement for students of technical and further education (note that where a practical placement is undertaken by overseas students,, please also refer to the guidelines for Applications for Approval of Work-Based Training in Courses for Overseas Students, available at For these purposes, the term practical placement refers to work experience of training undertaken by a post secondary student with an employer under an arrangement entered into between the employer and a RTO pursuant to section of ETRA. Under ETRA, a post-secondary student means a student who is enrolled in a post-secondary education course at a body registered under section of ETRA (Broadly, this means any registered training organization). The purposes of the amendments to the guidelines include: Providing information about the making of a new Order under ETRA to the effect that practical placement students are not required to be paid for work undertaken on the placement; Providing updated information about the position in relation to WorkCover insurance eligibility for students on practical placements; and Further clarifying the requirements of ETRA in relation to practical placements. 2. Responsibilities of RTOs in relation to a practical placement agreement Under ETRA, a written practical placement agreement is a mandatory component of any practical placement. It is a legal agreement and must stipulate the rights, obligations and duties of the employer, the RTO and the student. Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 7 of 11

8 ETRA requires that the RTO enters into an agreement in writing with the employer about the placement of a particular student. If the agreement is not in writing, the student will not be entitled to WorkCover in the event an injury occurs while the student is on a practical placement. It is the responsibility of the RTO to ensure that the practical placement is a meaningful experience for the student. The learning obtained during the practical placement should relate directly to the course outcomes at the appropriate skill level and to the actual competencies required for employment. In addition to the relevant details of the RTO, employer and student, the written practical placement agreement the RTO enters into with an employer about a practical placement student should include: The course of study with the RTO and the relevant skills required as part of that course to be developed, reinforced and/or assessed during the practical placement; and The length of the practical placement expressed as hours; and Payment arrangements, if any (see further below under minimum rate of pay); and Signatures of the student, the employer and the RTO. The original of the written, signed practical placement agreement is to be securely filed by the RTO for future reference. A copy should be given by the RTO to both the employer and the student. A copy may be requested by Skills Victoria should concerns regarding the placement arise which may require investigation. 3. Duration of Practical Placement The recommended maximum duration for a practical placement related to a course of study is 240 hours. If additional hours are required for any reason (e.g. by professional bodies or regulators), it is the responsibility of the RTO to satisfy itself that those longer hours are justified to meet the course outcomes for the student(s) concerned, and having regard to the welfare of the student concerned. RTOs should keep records detailing the reason for any decision to agree to longer hours for a practical placement. 4. Minimum rate of pay A 2009 Order of the Governor in Council has fixed the minimum rate of pay under ETRA for each student on a practical placement at $5.00 per day. Employers who are a Commonwealth Government department or a body established by a Commonwealth Act are not required to make this payment. Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 8 of 11

9 Further, on 23 December 2010, The Acting Secretary of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) signed an Order (new Secretarial Order) under section of ETRA to the effect that students enrolled in a post-secondary education course of an RTO undertaking a practical placement under the ETRA are not required to be paid for the work on that placement. This new Secretarial Order came into effect on 01 January 2011 and a copy is attached to these guidelines. Whilst students are not required to be paid as a result of the new Secretarial Order, payment can still be made. Discussions about payment should occur between the employer, student and RTO as part of the development of the required practical placement agreement. 5. WorkCover Students who are injured while undertaking a practical placement with an employer should be eligible to make a claim under the WorkCover insurance policy held by DEECD. Based on current advice, whether or not a practical placement student has been paid the minimum payment should not affect a student s WorkCover insurance eligibility. However, it should be noted that in the absence of a payment the student may not be eligible to claim for loss of earnings related to that placement. Any general queries in regard to WorkCover insurance eligibility matters should be directed to CGU (and not Skills Victoria) as follows: Claims Manager CGU Workers Compensation P: 03) E: Clare.Murphy@cgu.com.au Note that if no insurance claim has been lodged in relation to an injured practical placement student at the time of making such a query, CGU will only be able to provide general information related to WorkCover insurance. How to claim under WorkCover If a student is injured while undertaking a practical placement and wishes to make a claim for compensation, CGU has indicated that the following process should be undertaken: The student completes and signs a Worker s Injury Claim form, with the assistance of the host employer and/or RTO, if necessary; The RTO should complete and sign the Employer section of the Worker s Injury Claim form and an Employer Injury Claim Report form, in consultation with the host employer if necessary; The RTO should clearly mark on both forms practical placement claim. The Employer scheme registration number of and the Employer s reference number of should be entered on both Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 9 of 11

10 forms; The RTO should then forward the original copy of both claim forms, any medical certificates and accounts and a certified copy of the practical placement agreement to: CGU Workers Compensation Victoria PO Box 2090S Melbourne 3001 Phone: (03) Fax: (03) Duplicates of both forms together with copies of any Certificates of Capacity and medical accounts should be retained by the RTO. 6. Enquiries Enquiries about these practical placement guidelines, (other than in relation to WorkCover insurance issues) can be directed to the TAFE Course Line on , or to tafe.courseline@diird.vic.gov.au; Enquiries about WorkCover insurance issues (general or claim-specific) should be directed to the Claims Manager, CGU on as indicated above. Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 10 of 11

11 ORDER ABOUT NON-PAYMENT FOR WORK FOR POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS ON PRACTICAL PLACEMENT I, JEFF ROSEWARNE, Acting Secretary to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, hereby make an Order under section of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (the ETRA). This Order comes into effect on and from 01 January It has not retrospective effect. The Order is as follows: A: I note that, pursuant to section of the ETRA, the Governor in Council has fixed the minimum rate of payment of $5 per day for students employed under a practical placement agreement, as defined in section of ETRA. And: B: for the purposes of section of ETRA in relation to Orders about nonpayment for work, a class of student means students of a TAFE Provider. TAFE Provider, pursuant to section of ETRA, means a body registered under section (of the ETRA) by the Authority. And: C: The Order made by the Acting Secretary of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development on 24 January 1997 under section 91AB of the former Vocational Education and Training Act 1990 (the VET Order) is herby formally revoked, with immediate effect. And: E: The Order contained herein replaces the VET Order. Signed; JEFF ROSEWARNED Date: 23 December 2010 Document No: IP 3.36 Issue Date: 08/02/2011 Version: 12 Page 11 of 11