Following extensive consultation with stakeholders, the Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD) has updated its “Apprenticeship and Traineeship Policy  (A&T Policy). The revised policy came into effect on 29 November 2018, and is now available on the DTWD website.

View the new Apprenticeship and Traineeship Policy

The new A&T Policy has been simplified to make it more user-friendly for apprentices, trainees, employers, RTOs, AASNs, GTOs, students, parents and schools. The key changes are as follows:

• All related policy documents are now incorporated. This includes the School-based Apprenticeship Policy; Travel and Accommodation Allowance (TAA) Policy; Trade Skills Recognition Policy; and the Trade Certificate Policy.
• The policy includes web links for easy access to program information and fact sheets and forms for employers, apprentices, RTOs and other providers operating in the apprenticeship system.
• The strengthening of eligibility criteria for Western Australian trade certificates, including those issued under the Trade Skills Recognition (TSR) process, to ensure the integrity of the application and assessment processes.  The new eligibility criteria will come into effect on 1 January 2019.
• Individuals who are qualified tradespeople in an Australian State or Territory other than Western Australia are now able to apply for a WA Trade Certificate, if they meet the requirements.
• The policy reflects recent changes to regulations, which clarify requirements around training plans, including school-based apprentices and trainees.

Several fact sheets on the Apprenticeship Office website have been updated to align with the new policy and the following new fact sheets have been developed.

Title	Location
Applying for a WA trade certificate by interstate tradespeople	Other publications
Applying for a WA trade certificate via trade skills recognition (effective from 1 January 2019)	Information for RTOs, and also in Other publications
Eligibility for a WA trade certificate	Other publications
Training contract and exemption notices for children of compulsory school age	Training contract forms and fact sheets

The following policy documents relate to the DTWD role as Western Australia’s State Training Authority, with responsibility for administering the State’s VET system. This involves managing the investment of public resources to provide a quality training system.

·        Apprenticeship and Traineeship Policy

·        Complaints Management Policy

·        Government Building Training Policy

·        Language Services Policy and Guidelines

·        School-based Apprenticeship and Traineeship Policy

·        Sponsorship Policy

·        TAFE Admissions Policy

·        TAFE Duty of Care for Minors Policy

·        Trade Certificate Policy

·        Trade Skills Recognition Policy

·        Travel and Accommodation Allowance Policy

·        VET Fees and Charges Policy

·        VET Delivered to Secondary Students: Funding Policy

These policy documents can be accessed via the following link:  https://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/about-us#legislative-framework-policies-and-guidelines

Please contact Anna Wildy, Manager Policy Planning and Research, Department of Training and Workforce Development on (08) 6551 5529 or email anna.wildy@dtwd.wa.gov.au, if you have any queries in regards to the new apprenticeship and traineeship policy and any of the associated policy documents.