Work Placement

The opportunity of work placement provides the student with the opportunity to gain real work experience in their chosen industry, to gain access to a potential future employer, and for the host employer to support the student and ‘test ‘a student as a potential employee.

Work placement job roles, tasks to be undertaken by a student are included in the relevant specialisation Vocational Placement Skills Workbook.

It’s the student’s responsibility to find a suitable work placement for the course.

The successful completion of work placement hours as advised in the assessment conditions of the units is required to complete this course. A Statement of Attainment will be issued for the completed units for the units completed which don’t require a work placement. (Please refer to training.gov.au to review assessment conditions of the units or ask your Trainer)

As part of this course, there is a minimum of 120 hours (3.5 weeks full time) of mandatory work placement required to achieve this course. Students will be supervised and guided by experienced professionals who work at the facility. Trainers / Assessors will visit the workplace.

Where a student fails to attend the arranged practical placement, they will be required to organise their own placement. Students will have 6 months duration to achieve the location and completion of their practical placement.

Students may be required to travel up to one hour from their home address to attend practical placement.

We expect the employed students to be able to use their own workplace for workplace evidence;

The program will be supported by mandatory Work placement at negotiated and allocated workplaces. Satisfactory completion of at least 120 hours of work placement is mandatory for the successful completion of the course. AUSCHS is equipped with the necessary resources to complete the required training and/or assessment.

Work placements involve the appropriate supervision and guidance from individuals in the workplace and Trainers and Assessors from AUSCHS. Insourcing an appropriate workplace, attention is paid to the availability of opportunities for the learner to observe, develop and practice required skills; and the availability of appropriately qualified workplace supervisors.

Evidence of work placement is collected as part of the performance evidence in the units in which the requirement appears. Evidence may include timesheets, log books, meeting minutes or other forms of workplace documentation.

The Vocational (work) Placement Skills workbook relevant to the specialisation has to be completed thoroughly in order to successfully complete the course.

The Vocational (work) Placement Skills workbook has a checklist at the back to ensure you have successfully completed all the required tasks

Details for a Candidates work placement are specified in the Work Placement Agreement.

The students will be given Pre-Vocational placement induction informing them of the complete process including giving them Student Vocational Placement Information, Agreement between all parties, Supervisor Vocational Placement Information, Vocational Placement pack etc. This will complete the process of providing key information to the students and all concerned parties.

Work Placement Requirements

1.National Criminal Record Check

Before you undertake a Vocational work placement in you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check (CRC) to obtain a National Police Certificate, either through a state or territory police service or through the Australian Federal Police.

2. Working with children check -Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing work placement, it is advisable that you gain a Working with Children Check. You will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

For more information visit the NSW Commission for Children and Young People website at: http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/

3. Student responsibilities in the work placement

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a Student Vocational Placement Information Pack which indicates expected standards of behaviour. Your trainer will explain to you and your workplace supervisor the range of duties for which you have the skills and knowledge. You must not carry out duties other than those indicated by your trainer. Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course. If you require any further information talk to your trainer.

You need to take particular care if workplace clients are people who may be in vulnerable circumstances – for example, people who are frail, children, young people, people with a disability or people who are receiving a type of service which may put them in vulnerable circumstances.

4. Student readiness for work placement

Generally, work placements will only occur after there has been a reasonable amount of student/trainer contact. Wherever possible, an assessment event will be undertaken by students to determine work placement readiness. Based on the evidence provided, the trainer will form a judgement as to the student’s readiness to benefit from workplace learning and perform workplace duties with:

· the required level of expertise
· due regard to ethical conduct
· avoidance of behaviour posing an unacceptable level of risk to themselves, workplace employer/employees or clients/customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances.

To determine work readiness, you will be required to read the Business Council of Australia, being work ready guide -A guide to what employers want and watch the complimentary videos

http://www.bca.com.au/publications/being-work-ready-a-guide-to-what-empl…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMEvtv4sgHQ

In addition to this you will need to read the AUSCHS work place code of conduct in which you will be required to sign a form stating that you have read and understood it

5. NSW Health Code of Conduct

If you undertake work placement in a NSW Health facility, you will be given the NSW Health Code of Conduct and be required to sign a form stating that you have read and understood it.
For more information visit the NSW Health website at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au

AUSCHS has a responsibility to protect members of the public (and the students themselves) from being harmed by students taking part in a workplace or simulated workplace learning. If there is evidence that your skills or behaviour could present a risk to yourself or other people in the workplace, you may not be allowed to participate in a work placement, at least for a period of time.

6. Students completing both Ageing and Disability Specialisations

If you decide to complete units with specialisations in both Ageing and Disability, You will be required to complete Vocational Placements in and Ageing and a Disability facility. If the placement provider is offering both services, you will still need to complete separate skills workbooks addressing key requirements of the units. The 120 hours will be required to be split as an example- you will be required to complete a minimum of 60 hours in each specialisation. Your Trainer will give you more information on this. Students who complete their vocational placement in only 1 place with 120 hours such as Ageing facility when enrolled in both (ageing and Disability) Specialisations, they will only receive the Qualification for that particular specialisation, in this example, a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing). If you need more clarification on this, please feel free to contact your trainer or the AUSCHS Administration.