What is a School-Based Apprenticeship?
A school-based apprenticeship or traineeship allows students in Year 10, 11 or 12 to begin a formal Australian Apprenticeship while still at school. You work one to two days per week with a real employer, earn a wage for your time, and work toward a nationally recognised Certificate-level qualification, all while completing your regular school studies.
How a School-Based Apprenticeship Works
A school-based apprenticeship is a genuine Australian Apprenticeship, not work experience or a casual arrangement. It involves a formal Training Contract registered with the relevant State or Territory Training Authority, structured on-the-job training with a host employer, and off-the-job training with a Registered Training Organisation such as a TAFE.
The arrangement is built around your school timetable. In collaboration with your school, your host employer and a Group Training Organisation like MIGAS, you are typically released from school for one to two days per week to attend work and complete your training. The remaining days you continue your normal school studies.
Because it is a formal employment arrangement, you are paid for the hours you work, including any hours worked on weekends or during school holidays.
What Qualification Do You Work Toward?
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships lead to Certificate-level qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework. Most school-based programs result in a Certificate II or III depending on the trade or vocational area and how long you are in the program.
The qualification you work toward is the same nationally recognised credential that full-time apprentices and trainees earn. It carries the same weight with employers regardless of whether it was completed on a school-based or full-time basis.
What Trades and Vocational Areas are Available?
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships are available across a range of trade and vocational areas. Through MIGAS, school-based opportunities are available in areas including fabrication and mechanical engineering, electrical, automotive, construction trades and related vocational areas such as business traineeships.
Availability varies depending on your location and the host employers operating in your area. Your school VET Coordinator or Careers Adviser will have information on what is currently available locally, and the MIGAS Jobs Board lists current school-based positions across our operating states.
What are the Benefits of Starting While Still at School?
You get a head start on your career
By the time you finish Year 12, you will already have real workplace experience, a developing relationship with a professional employer and progress toward a formal qualification. Most of your peers who waited until after school will be starting from scratch at the point where you are already ahead.
In many cases, the time you spend as a school-based apprentice counts toward the total duration of your full-time apprenticeship once you finish school. This means you could complete your trade qualification earlier than someone who started after Year 12.
You earn money while you study
Unlike university, where you typically accumulate debt before you earn, a school-based apprenticeship pays you for your time from the start.
You receive a wage for every hour you work, including weekends and school holidays, while still completing your secondary education.
You build a competitive edge
Completing a school-based apprenticeship signals genuine commitment to a trade and gives you practical experience that other candidates simply do not have.
Many school-based apprentices transition directly into full-time employment with the same host employer once they finish school, sometimes without having to apply for another job at all.
You gain real-world exposure early
The transition from school to full-time work can be challenging for many young people. A school-based apprenticeship eases that transition by immersing you in a professional workplace environment while you still have the structure and support of school around you.
Who is Eligible?
School-based apprenticeships are generally available to students in Year 10, 11 or 12. Eligibility may vary depending on your state or territory, your school's existing programs and the availability of suitable host employers in your area.
If you are under 18, you will need parent or guardian consent to enter into a school-based apprenticeship. This is a legal requirement under the Australian Apprenticeships framework.
How to Get Started
The best first step is to speak with your school's VET Coordinator, Careers Adviser or Guidance Officer. They can advise on whether school-based programs are available in your area, which trades are supported through your school and how to get the process started.
You can also browse the MIGAS Jobs Board for current school-based opportunities in your state, or contact MIGAS directly to find out what is available and whether we can coordinate an arrangement with your school.
MIGAS and School-Based Apprenticeships
MIGAS employs school-based apprentices and trainees across Queensland and New South Wales. We manage the coordination between you, your school and the host employer, including training contract sign-up, payroll and ongoing support throughout your placement.
If you would like more information or want to find out whether a school-based opportunity is available in your area and trade of interest, contact MIGAS or browse the Jobs Board for current positions.