Glossary

ASQA

The Australian Skills Quality Authority is the national regulator for Australia’s VET sector.

Assessment

The process of collecting evidence and making judgements on whether competency has been achieved, to confirm that an individual can perform to the standard required in the workplace, as specified in a training package or a VET accredited course.

Certificate III in Individual Support

A qualification that reflects the role of workers in the community and/or residential setting who follow an individualised plan to provide person-centred support to people who may require support due to ageing, disability or some other reason.

Mandatory work placement

A form of assessment in some qualifications and units of competency that requires a learner to complete a certain amount of time on the job before competency is determined.

RTO

A Registered Training Organisation is a provider registered by ASQA (or a state regulator) to deliver nationally recognised VET training and qualifications. RTOs can be public (TAFEs), private or community-based organisations. The RTO will have the necessary authority to require and facilitate the work placement.

RTO Assessor

An appropriately qualified educator for Certificate III in Individual Support who has current industry practice as a Personal Care/Support Worker, and who is employed by the RTO to facilitate student learning and assessment, off campus in the workplace setting. The RTO assessor will hold a valid Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or higher qualification.

Service provider

An organisation providing services to aged care and disability support clients. The service provider will have the necessary authority to host the work placement.

Student

The person enrolled in the Certificate III in Individual Support with an RTO. The student is not an employee, contractor or agent of the service provider and is not entitled to receive wages or other remuneration from the service provider for the tasks performed as part of the work placement.

Student co-ordinator

A worker designated by the service provider to arrange student placements, oversee administrative requirements and liaise with students and RTOs. Not all service providers will have this position.

Student facilitator

A worker designated by the RTO to recommend students for placements, execute placement processes and checks, and liaise with the service provider. Not all RTOs will have these positions.

Student logbook

A document designed to support the workplace learning plan and be used:

• by the student and workplace supervisor during the work placement to monitor and record student attendance
• for workplace supervisors and RTO assessors to log any discussions, feedback, incidents or concerns during placement
• for the student to reflect on their own performance.

Supplementary evidence

Additional documentation used by assessors to support a candidate’s claim of competence. This could include reports from students’ supervisors, colleagues and/or clients, testimonials from employers, work diaries and evidence of training.

VET

Vocational Education and Training is training in technical, job-related skills. It provides students with specific skills to help them in the workplace, and enables them to gain qualifications for all types of employment.

Work placement

An essential component of the education process to enable students to achieve overall competence in specific units and ultimately the Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community). It can also be referred to as vocational placement or student placement.

Work placement agreement

An agreement between the three parties to the work placement – the RTO, service provider and student. It documents the terms of the agreement and the roles and responsibilities for each party. It should be signed by each party to demonstrate their understanding and commitment to the placement arrangements.

Workplace buddy

A worker designated by the service provider to provide day to day support and guidance to the student. The buddy has the capacity to demonstrate tasks, provide informal feedback and answer any student queries.

Workplace learning plan

A document that describes the learning objective of the placement and the agreed learning experiences and workplace tasks that the student will be exposed to during the placement.

Workplace supervisor

A worker designated by the service provider to develop and confirm the learning plan in collaboration with student and the RTO and to provide formal supervision. The workplace supervisor monitors the student’s completion of required tasks and provides constructive feedback as required.

View Resources and Templates

Selecting an RTO – A guide for service providers

Questions to ask RTOs

This resource is for service providers who are looking for an RTO to partner with in offering work placements to students, or who’ve been approached by an RTO to offer work placements. It provides a list of topics to explore and issues to discuss with RTOs to determine whether they deliver high quality services, how they approach, or would approach, work placements, and to help you decide whether they’d make a suitable work placement partner.

About the RTO

Find out some general information about the RTO such as:

• how long they’ve been delivering nationally accredited training in individual support
• the scope of their operations (e.g. do they specialise in health and community services, or do they offer qualifications in a range of industry areas?)
• how many students they have.

If you’ve been approached by an RTO to host student work placements, you might like to ask why they’ve approached your organisation. This will give you a sense of what they’re looking for in a work placement partner and whether their values align with yours.

Evidence of high-quality delivery and outcomes

Discuss with the RTO:

• their completion rate and employment outcomes for students enrolled in the Certificate III in Individual Support
• how they deliver the Certificate III in Individual Support (e.g. online, classroom or a combination. Note that 100% online delivery is not considered best practice)
• whether they offer the full range of elective subjects
• whether students have access to simulated workplaces with modern equipment to practise their skills before a work placement
• how they keep up to date with changes in the industry
• how they make sure their trainers and assessors have current knowledge and skills.

Note: You might want to do a background check of the RTO to find out whether it’s been subject to any adverse decisions by the regulator. You can find more about how to do this in the guide – Building a Skilled Workforce.

Preparing students for work placements

Work placements tend to be more successful when RTOs have properly prepared students for the experience.

Discuss with the RTO:

• how they prepare students for work placements. For example, how they make sure students:
  • understand the nature and requirements of the job and are suited to work in the industry
  • know what’s expected of them in the workplace, including dress standards, punctuality, how they’ll interact with supervisors and clients etc
• which components of the qualification students complete before their placement
• how they assess whether students have the basic skills and knowledge needed for a work placement, including:
  • communication skills
  • knowledge of infection control procedures
  • understanding of workplace health and safety requirements
  • manual handling skills
• processes for getting criminal history clearances for students
• processes for ensuring students meet government mandated vaccination requirements.

Working together

Ideally the RTO will involve you at all stages of the work placement.

Discuss with the RTO:

• what role you’ll have, if any, in selecting students for work placement with your service
• whether you’ll have the opportunity to interview students prior to placement
• how and how often they will engage and communicate with you during the placement
• what their process is for identifying and resolving issues that arise during the placement.

The RTO’s approach to work placements

Find out how the RTO conduct work placements, or intend to conduct work placements, and what they expect from you. You could discuss:

• how their work placements are structured (e.g. one block near the end of the qualification or several blocks through the training)
• what kind of workplace experiences they hope students will have (e.g. what type of service delivery, range of clients and work tasks do they expect students to be exposed to?)
• whether they prepare learning plans for student placements which articulate learning objectives and the intended scope of workplace experiences and tasks. If so, you might like to ask to look at one
• what supporting documents they provide, such as student logbooks. Again, you might like to ask to have a look at these
• whether students can fit in with your hours of operation and preferred dates and times
• how they conduct assessments in the workplace, including:
  • the respective roles of the workplace supervisor and RTO assessor
  • what’s expected of workplace supervisors in collecting supplementary evidence
  • how RTO assessors conduct their assessments in the workplace
• whether they offer any support and training for workplace supervisors
• whether they have a standard work placement agreement they enter with service providers. If so, ask for a copy. If not, discuss the kind of agreement you’d like to have with them
• whether they can provide a forward schedule of work placements and numbers of students over a given period.

Support for students

It’s critical that students are well supported by the RTO during the placement. Find out how the RTO does this. For example:

• whether they have a student facilitator who can liaise with you and the student and help with logistical requirements
• how often someone will visit the student at the workplace during the placement
• how often they will contact you and the student during the placement
• what extra support do they give students who need it, including:
  • students with additional learning needs
  • vulnerable students and young students
  • students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• what they do if concerns or issues can’t be resolved on site between the student and your staff.

Review and evaluation

Ideally you can establish a process for reviewing and evaluating work placements, so they improve over time. Discuss with the RTO:

• whether they’ll record and share students’ feedback about their work placement experience
• whether they have processes for receiving and discussing feedback from workplace supervisors at the end of placements
• how they action any agreed improvements
• how they measure the success of work placements.

References

At the end of the discussion, ask if the RTO is willing to give you the names of two or three other service providers they work with, who’d be willing to talk to you about their experience of working with the RTO.

Selecting a service provider – A guide for RTOs

Questions to ask service providers

If you’re looking for a service provider to take students on work placement, before entering an agreement, take some time to find out about the values of the organisation and the quality of services they provide.

This checklist gives you some sample questions to ask.

About the service provider

Find out some general information about the service provider. For example:

• how long they’ve been operating
• the range of services they offer
• whether they have multiple delivery sites
• the number of staff employed at each site
• the number of clients and client profile (e.g. whether they service clients with dementia, challenging behaviours, physical or intellectual disabilities, CALD or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background).

Evidence of high-quality delivery and outcomes

Ask the service provider about:

• their client satisfaction rate
• the general levels of qualifications held by staff.

Their approach to work placements

Find out whether the service provider currently offers work placements and how they approach them, or how they would approach them if they don’t already. Discuss with the service provider:

• how many students they can accommodate on work placements
• how their hours of work are structured for placements (i.e. start and finish times and available work days)
• the kinds of clients students will work with
• what equipment students have access to
• whether students can access service and client documentation, including access to IT facilities if needed
• the range of workplace experiences and tasks they can offer students
• whether they have someone in a student co-ordinator role to oversee student placement arrangements and liaise with the RTO
• workplace supervision, including:
  • how they select and support workplace supervisors
  • what qualifications and experience their workplace supervisors have
  • whether workplace supervisors have experience in completing documents associated with work placements, such as student logbooks
• whether staff are familiar with work placement learning plans
• whether they’re willing for relevant staff to receive training and support from you in relation to workplace assessment practices, completing student logbooks and other arrangements
• whether they have a documented process to support work placements
• what public liability and professional indemnity insurance they have
• whether they’re willing to sign a work placement agreement which sets out the roles and responsibilities of each party
• whether they’re willing to agree to a forward schedule with numbers of students and timing of work placements.

Support for students

It’s critical that students are well supported through the placement. Find out what support the service provider currently offers or would be able to offer. For example:

• what introduction to the organisation students are given
• what measures are taken to make sure other staff know students are coming and help to make them feel welcome
• how they communicate with students about their daily roster and work duties
• how they ensure students aren’t asked to do tasks that are outside the agreed scope
• how often their workplace supervisor meets with students and provides feedback
• whether students are given:
  • a designated workspace
  • a locker to store their personal belongings
  • a uniform and name tag
• what procedures they follow when students or RTO staff experience a problem during the placement which can’t be resolved onsite
• whether students are given a work buddy to provide informal supervision and day-to-day support
• how work buddies are selected and what support they would be given.

Review and evaluation

Ideally you can establish a process of working with service providers to review and evaluate work placements, so they improve over time. Ask the service provider:

• whether they record and share students’ feedback about their work placement experience with RTOs
• how they measure the success of work placements for their organisation
• how they refine and improve their work placement processes, based on student and RTO feedback
• how they use their experience in hosting work placements to help RTOs improve the quality of their training and assessment.

Fact Sheet: Regulation of Vocational Education and Training

The provision of Vocational Education and Training is regulated by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) or a state regulator in Victoria or Western Australia. Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) must be registered with the relevant regulator to deliver nationally recognised VET training and qualifications. RTOs are required to comply with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 and deliver training and assessment as set out in the relevant industry training package.

The qualification details for the Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC 33015) are part of the Community Services Training Package.

ASQA publishes the Users’ guide to Standards for RTOs 2015 to help RTOs and other stakeholders understand the standards expected of RTOs. Of particular interest to service providers is the requirement that RTOs engage with industry. The Users’ Guide also advises how RTOs must conduct effective assessment and use other parties to collect assessment evidence.
ASQA publishes certain regulatory decisions and notices about RTOs on its website, including administrative sanctions, conditions and rejections.

The national register, www.training.gov.au, maintains a complete list of RTOs, including those registered to deliver the Certificate III in Individual Support. The national register includes information about the decisions and notices made by regulators.

The Australian Government also operates My Skills, which is designed to help consumers choose courses and training providers that best suit their needs. It’s a national directory of VET organisations and courses, with functions to search for and compare VET courses and training providers.

For more information about how the VET sector operates, refer to ASQA’s VET sector overview.

Fact Sheet: Regulation of Aged Care and Disability Support services

Aged Care

Aged care services are regulated by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Its role is to approve providers’ entry to the aged care system, to accredit, assess, investigate and monitor aged care services against requirements, and to hold providers to account when they don’t meet their obligations.

The Commission publishes all non-compliance by providers and regulatory actions taken by the Commission in the Non-compliance against the Quality Standards register.

Regulations cover both Residential services (which include residential aged care services and flexible care services which provide short-term restorative care in a residential care setting) and home services (which include home care services, Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services and flexible care services which provide short-term restorative care in a home care setting).

More detailed information about an individual service’s performance against the Quality Standards is available from the Find a report section of the Commission’s website. More information about the Quality Standards can be found on the Commission’s Quality Standards page.

Disability Support

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) is responsible for registering and regulating providers and the quality and safety of NDIS services. The NDIS Commission publishes the following information about disability service providers:

• Part 1 of the NDIS Provider Register contains information about all registered NDIS providers and is regularly updated. The information on the NDIS Provider Register includes:
  • Identifying information including the provider’s legal name, suburb and Australian Business Number (ABN).
  • Registration groups, which are the groups (or classes) of supports and services being delivered by the provider under the NDIS.
  • Additional conditions of registration imposed under the NDIS Act. These conditions are displayed on the NDIS Provider Register in the ‘Additional conditions of registration’ section.
• Part 2 of the NDIS Provider Register contains the compliance and enforcement actions taken against NDIS providers where requirements for delivering NDIS supports and services have not been met. The NDIS Commission may take action against an NDIS provider where it determines that the provider has not met its conditions of registration or the NDIS Code of Conduct. The NDIS Commission also publishes the actions taken concerning providers who are not registered but who are subject to the NDIS Code of Conduct.

Fact Sheet: Meeting legal requirements for work placements

Below are some of the common legal requirements that need to be addressed prior to work placements.

Note that these details were correct as of November 2021. You will need to check with the relevant authorities for any updates since this time.

Pre-employment checks

Students undertaking work placements in aged care and disability support services may require specific checks to gain admission to particular work environments.

RTOs need to allow sufficient time for these checks to be finalised ahead of placements and need to have discussed with students the implications of a negative outcome, ideally prior to enrolment into the course.

Where a student is under 18 years of age, parental consent may be required to apply for pre-employment checks. RTOs also need to ensure that they have sought the student’s express consent to share the outcome with service providers and will need a policy to govern the retention, storage and destruction of these records.

Depending on the work environment, one or more of the following may be required:

• National Police Check
  • This is mandatory for programs under Commonwealth Aged Care Act 1997, which includes students on vocational placement.
  • International students and others who have lived overseas for any period of time after the age of 16 must provide an additional statutory declaration.
  • Where an aged care provider is a registered NDIS provider, the NDIS Worker Screening Check may be recognised so that both clearances are not required.
• NDIS Worker Screening Check
  • Registered NDIS providers must ensure that key personnel and other workers in certain types of roles have a worker screening clearance that meets the requirements of the NDIS Practice Standards.
  • In certain circumstances, some of the acceptable checks from the transitional period can continue to be relied on to meet the worker screening obligations.
  • The circumstances are specified in the provisions that relate to the relevant state or territory in Part 4 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Practice Standards – Worker Screening) Rules 2018.
• Working with Children Check
  • certain people who work, or will be working, for a registered NDIS provider, in a risk assessed role and who work with children will need to be screened and hold both a Working with Children (WWC) Card and an NDIS Worker Screening Check (NDIS Check) clearance in order to do so.
  • The NDIS Check and WWC Check both involve different legislation. The NDIS Check is based on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Worker Screening) Act 2020. There is no national framework setting out the requirements for obtaining a Working With Children Check. Each state and territory has their own procedures and requirements.

Vaccinations

RTOs need to ensure that their students meet any mandated vaccination requirements prior to their placement and ideally students should be informed of these requirements before they enrol in the qualification.

All residential aged care workers are required to provide their employer with evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination or authorised exemption. Residential aged care providers are required to keep a record of workers’ vaccination status, in line with the direction set out in the relevant state or territory public health order.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee is considering mandating COVID-19 vaccination for all in-home and community aged care workers nationally.

Some states and territories have included these workers in the mandatory requirements:

• On 1 October 2021, the Victorian Government announced mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all authorised workers. This includes in-home and community aged care workers.
• On 13 October 2021, the Northern Territory Government announced the introduction of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for workers in high-risk workplaces. This includes in-home and community aged care workers.
• On 15 October 2021, the New South Wales Government announced that it is a requirement for all in-home and community aged care workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. This includes all in-home aged care and Commonwealth Home Support Programme workers.
• On 20 October 2021, the Australian Capital Territory Government announced the introduction of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for in-home and community aged care workers.

The Australian Government has not mandated vaccinations for disability support workers but strongly urges these workers to get vaccinated. Requirements may differ across state and territory governments.

Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in aged care | Australian Government Department of Health

Information for disability workers about COVID-19 vaccines | Australian Government Department of Health

These links provide information about vaccination requirements across different jurisdictions.

Workplace Health and Safety

Workplace Health and Safety requirements for work placements and the agreements between training providers and service providers also vary across jurisdictions.

RTOs need to make sure that the workplace in which students are going to undertake their placement provides a safe environment, that students have undergone relevant workplace health and safety training before the work placement and that the worksite provides a safety induction for the student and appropriate supervision during the entire placement.

The service provider will have certain legal responsibilities relating to the duty of care required for all people on their premises and some legislation treats students on placements similarly to employees.

Insurance

Both RTOs and service providers need to consider their own insurance needs and take legal advice on their obligations.

In some instances, insurance arrangements for student placements may be covered by a Volunteers Insurance Policy but this would need to be confirmed by service providers.

If a student is required to drive a service provider’s vehicle, they will need a suitable driver’s license and insurance arrangements should be clarified and documented.

Work placement checklist for RTOs

This checklist is designed to help RTOs work through the tasks involved in organising successful work placements for their students. Before organising placements, you’ll need to have found a suitable service provider to work with (see the resource Selecting a service provider – a guide for RTOs) and have a work placement agreement signed or ready to sign (see the Work Placement agreement template). Note that this checklist list may not cover everything you agreed to do as part of your agreement.

It’s likely that various staff members will take responsibility for different aspects of the work placement. You might find it useful to assign some of the checklist tasks, along with timeframes, to those with appropriate responsibility. Completed checklists and supporting documents can be stored with student management files for future reference.

Pre-placement

Check that students are suitable and ready

Before students can start work placements, you need to confirm that they’re suitable and ready to enter a workplace. Students must undergo criminal history screening, meet other legislative requirements (e.g. hold vaccination certificates), and be fit enough to perform workplace roles. They also need to have enough knowledge and skill to complete the required tasks safely.

Note that pre-employment criminal history checks can take some time, depending on whether parental (or guardian) permission is required, how common the student’s name is and whether there are any matters to be considered. Make sure you allow enough time for these checks to be finalised.

Check that the following have been done before the start of placements.

• Have you (or your students) applied for the relevant pre-employment checks? Students may need one or more of these clearances:
  • National Police Check – required for aged care services
  • NDIS screening check – required for disability support services
  • Working with Children Check – required for services involving young people under the age of 18.
• Have you assessed your students’ knowledge and skills in the following areas?
  • workplace health and safety
  • manual handling skills
  • infection control procedures
  • communication skills.

(Note that students may still be developing in some areas, but they should at least have enough knowledge and skills to work safely and minimise harm to themselves and others.)

• Have you checked that students have complied with all relevant government health directives regarding vaccinations?
• Have students been made aware of the following obligations they have in the workplace?
  • not attending unwell – students must not come to the workplace if they’re unwell as they could put vulnerable clients at risk
  • presenting to work in a fit state – students must not present to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including certain prescription medications)
  • behaving in a professional manner – students must comply with relevant codes of conduct and behave appropriately in the workplace
  • workplace health and safety (WHS) – students must comply with all workplace health and safety policies and procedures
  • documentation requirements – students need to complete all documents and records required by the service provider, legislation and accrediting body
  • following directions – students are to comply with safe and reasonable directions and let staff know if they’re asked to do tasks that are beyond their capability
  • not attempting tasks beyond their learning – while students are encouraged to show initiative, they shouldn’t attempt work tasks that are outside their scope of practice
  • confidentiality – students must keep all information about clients, visitors, other staff and the service provider confidential
  • dealing with challenging behaviour – students should know how to deal safely with challenging behaviours and have strategies to de-escalate issues
  • duty of care obligations and mandatory reporting – students should know their duty of care obligations and when and how they’re required to report suspected abuse
  • taking care of property – students must not misuse or damage property while on work placement
  • any other matters as agreed with the service provider.

Liaise with the service provider about selection of students

• Have you confirmed with the service provider:
  • the type of students that will be best suited to a placement in their service
  • the range of learning experiences and work tasks they can offer students
  • the location of placements
  • placement work hours?
• Have you talked to the service provider about how students will be selected and their role in the selection process? For example, the service provider may want to interview potential students before the placement. If so, you’ll need to give them student details and let students know about the interview process.
• Let students know when they’ve been selected for work placements and confirm that they have accepted the offer. Advise students who were not selected by the service provider.

Develop workplace learning plans

• Have you worked with students to develop workplace learning plans which include a learning objective, associated learning experiences and work tasks?
• Have you confirmed with the service provider that they can offer the tasks and experiences in the plan and provide an appropriately qualified supervisor?

Confirm agreements and arrangements

• Have you, the student and service provider all signed the work placement agreement?
• Does each party have a copy of the agreement, workplace learning plan and any other supporting documents for their records?
• Does the service provider have copies of all relevant student documents? For example:
  • criminal history screening clearances
  • vaccination certificates
  • driver’s license (if required).
• Has the service provider given students the information they need to start the placement, such as when and where to turn up?
• Have you introduced the workplace supervisor to relevant RTO staff? Have you confirmed that they understand their role and the role of RTO staff in conducting assessments and completing documentation?
• Have you offered a briefing session and other support to the supervisors, buddies, student co-ordinator or other staff about the student placement arrangements and objectives?
• Have you inspected the workplace site to check workplace health and safety arrangements? Has this been documented?
• Have you considered inviting staff from the service provider and/or previous work placement students to talk to students about what to expect at their workplace, how they support students on work placement and to answer any questions students may have?

During the placement

Once the placement starts, the RTO plays a critical ongoing role in supporting students and conducting assessments. Your continued investment and commitment will help to make the work placement a success, and will also help foster a strong, collaborative relationship with the service provider.

Have you done the following?

• Planned for an RTO staff member to attend the site orientation and induction with the students, so you know that students understand what’s required of them and their questions have been answered.
• Scheduled weekly check-ins with the student and workplace supervisor, allowing enough time to discuss and resolve any issues (usually about an hour). Agree how you’ll meet (i.e. remotely or onsite).
• Given contact details of relevant RTO staff to students and supervisors in case any issues arise.
• Agreed with the supervisor when and how you will carry out assessments.
• Agreed on a process for resolving any issues, including:
  • when and how you’ll be notified if there’s a student concern or issue which can’t be resolved directly between the student and the other party
  • when and how you’ll be notified if the service provider has a concern or issue which can’t be resolved directly between the staff member and the student
  • who from the RTO and the service provider will meet to discuss these concerns or issues
  • who will investigate the concern or issue further if it is of significant concern and remains unresolved
  • who will initiate the formal dispute resolution process as outlined in the agreement.

Post placement

After the placement, it’s a good idea to gather feedback as soon as you can, and to reflect on and document what went well and what you’ll do to improve future placements.

When the placement has ended:

• check that the supervisor has completed all necessary documentation
• seek written feedback from students, RTO staff and service provider staff on their placement experience
• arrange a briefing session with your staff to discuss and document what worked well, any issues or concerns, and opportunities for improvement
• arrange a meeting with the service provider to discuss student and staff feedback and the outcomes of your staff debriefing session
• agree and document actions that can be taken to improve future work placements
• consider how feedback from the service provider can be used to improve the quality and industry currency of your training and assessment services
• document feedback from the service provider to inform self-assurance and continuous improvement strategies and as evidence of industry engagement
• record the costs and benefits to your organisation of the placements, including whether students go on to work for the service provider and the service provider’s performance during the work placement. This will help you track performance improvement over time and will contribute to future evaluations.
• consider recording interviews with students who have completed their placement, to show future students
• if your students received exceptional support from any particular staff at the service provider, consider passing this on to their senior manager(s)
• consider promoting work placements in your newsletter or through social media, congratulating students, the service provider and your staff on the successful completion of their placement.

Work placement checklist for service providers

This checklist is designed to help service providers work through the tasks involved in organising successful work placements. In the first place, you’ll need to have signed a work placement agreement with an RTO which sets out your respective roles and responsibilities.

It’s likely that various staff members will be responsible for different aspects of the work placement. You might find it useful to assign some of the checklist tasks, along with timeframes, to those with appropriate responsibility. Completed checklists and supporting documents can be stored with student management files for future reference.

Before the placement

Select students

It is good practice for service providers to be actively involved in selecting students for work placements. This helps make sure students are well-matched to the needs and culture of your organisation.

• Establish and document a process for assessing prospective students referred to you by RTOs.
• Agree with the RTO about what type of information you’d like to receive about prospective students, when you’d like to receive it and in what form. For example, you might like to know a bit about students’ background, prior work experience, strengths, career goals and whether they have any additional support needs.
• Nominate staff to be involved in the selection process. For example, you may appoint a student co-ordinator to oversee work placements who can:
  • review student information and select students to interview
  • conduct interviews
  • inform the RTO of outcomes.
• Develop your approach to interviews and the questions you’ll ask. While interviews may be quite informal, it’s important that the selection process is fair and non-discriminatory. Interview questions should relate directly to the placement requirements and all students should be asked the same or similar questions.
• When you receive information from the RTO about prospective students, confirm that students:
  • are suited to the placements you’re able to offer
  • can work within your desired work hours
  • can travel to your site
  • meet any other requirements you have.

Confirm that students are prepared for their placement

• Confirm that students have the required knowledge and skills for their placement. The RTO should assess students’ knowledge and skills in the following areas:
  • workplace health and safety awareness
  • manual handling skills
  • infection control procedures
  • communication skills – the RTO should feel confident that students have sufficient English language skills to communicate effectively with clients and staff.

Note that students may still be developing in some, or all these areas. At this stage, it’s enough that they have the knowledge and skills to work safely on placement.

• Confirm with the RTO that students have:
  • Had any required pre-employment screening checks, such as:
  • National Police Check
    • NDIS Worker Screening Check
    • Working with Children Check
  • confirmation of vaccination
  • driver’s license (if required).

• Confirm with the RTO that students have been made aware of their obligations on work placement, which include:
  • not attending unwell – students must not come to the workplace if they’re unwell as they could put vulnerable clients at risk
  • presenting to work in a fit state – students must not present to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including certain prescription medications)
  • behaving in a professional manner – students must comply with relevant codes of conduct and behave appropriately in the workplace
  • workplace health and safety (WHS) – students must comply with all workplace health and safety policies and procedures
  • documentation requirements – students need to complete all documents and records required by the service provider, legislation and accrediting body
  • following directions – students are to comply with safe and reasonable directions and let staff know if they’re asked to do tasks beyond their capability
  • not attempting tasks beyond their learning – while students are encouraged to show initiative, they shouldn’t attempt work tasks that are outside their scope of practice
  • confidentiality – students must keep all information about clients, visitors, other staff and the service provider confidential
  • dealing with challenging behaviour – students should know how to deal safely with challenging behaviours and have strategies to de-escalate issues
  • duty of care obligations and mandatory reporting – students should know their duty of care obligations and when and how they’re required to report suspected abuse
  • taking care of property – students must not misuse or damage property while on work placement
  • any other matters as agreed with the service provider.

Appoint a workplace supervisor and workplace buddy

Workplace supervisors and buddies play a critical role in making sure students are well supported and have a successful work placement.

• Develop duty statements for the roles of workplace supervisor and workplace buddy and consider how these extra duties will be accommodated and recognised.
• Appoint suitable staff to these roles.
• Brief supervisors and buddies on the work placement agreement, workplace learning plans and their roles and responsibilities.
• Provide supervisors and buddies with information about each student and the work placement arrangements, including a copy of the work placement agreement, workplace learning plan and supporting documents.
• Arrange for supervisors and buddies to receive coaching, mentoring, or training as required.
• Let supervisors and buddies know if any students have any additional support needs.
• Arrange an introductory meeting between workplace supervisors and buddies, and the RTO student facilitator and/or RTO assessor to discuss roles and responsibilities in supporting and assessing students and completing documentation.

Preparing for placement

• Check that you have the following information and documents:
  • a copy of a signed workplace agreement and workplace learning plan for each student
  • relevant information about the student, such as:
    • contact details
    • proof of identity – passport, birth certificate
    • pre-employment checks
    • vaccination certificates
    • driver’s license.
  • a copy of any relevant supporting documentation such as student logbooks.
• Send the student (and cc the RTO) a letter of introduction that includes relevant information about your organisation and the work placement, such as:
  • arrangements for the first day—where to go, what time to arrive and who will meet the student
  • transport options for travelling to the facility—carparking, bike racks, change facilities and public transport options
  • a map of the site and facility
  • what to bring (and what not to bring) to the workplace on the first day
  • dress and uniform standards (if relevant)
  • facilities available for personal storage
  • facilities nearby (food outlets, banks, post offices and other amenities)
  • a roster with mealtimes and breaks
  • name and contact details of their supervisor and buddy
  • who to contact if they are unwell or unable to attend.
• Inform residents/clients and their families about the work placement, explaining the purpose and benefits of student placements, and seek their consent (where necessary) to the student providing care and support.
• Tell your staff about the work placement and explain the benefits to your clients, staff and the sector of student placements.
• Make sure the student is entered into relevant information technology (IT) and human resource (HR) systems before the placement begins.
• Organise a space for the student to store their personal belongings and to work on assessment tasks.
• Organise an orientation and induction session for the student/s’ first day.

During the placement

Site orientation and induction

It’s important that students receive a thorough orientation and induction on their first day. Placements can be daunting. A comprehensive introduction to your organisation will help the student feel welcome, comfortable and confident, and to enjoy their work placement experience. It also helps to protect the student, clients and other staff during the placement, and serves to build your reputation as an employer of choice.

• Organise an orientation that includes:
  • a general introduction to the organisation (mission statement, philosophy, services offered, units/departments, standards of practice, lines of communication/reporting, hours of operation, etc)
  • a tour of the site and facility
  • an introduction to key staff members, including supervisors and buddies.
• Check that on the first day, the student is given all the information and documents they need.

Important workplace policies and procedures

• code of conduct
• how to identify and report any concerns about resident/client welfare
• WHS and emergency procedures
• confidentiality and privacy policies, conflict of interest policies, codes of practice and any other documents regarding ethical issues
• bullying, harassment, and discrimination policies
• expectations of professional behaviour, including any written protocols on behaviours (for example, protocol for observing clients, codes of conduct)
• information or guidelines for providing sensitive and culturally appropriate communication and care for specific client groups
• dress/uniform standards (where relevant).

Relevant information about staff and the organisation

• map of the workplace
• staff lists with roles/delegations
• a list of staff you’d like the student to meet during the placement
• information on routine procedures (in/out communication board, phone messages and use of email/internet/computers)
• job descriptions, particularly of roles the student is learning
• policy and procedures manuals and how to access them
• administrative procedures (report writing protocols and standards, guidelines for recording information/statistics)
• relevant legislation of which students should be aware
• other special or specific workplace requirements.

Other helpful information

• • who to go to if they have concerns or questions
  • facilities nearby (for example, food outlets, banks, gyms, post office, public phones and amenities)
  • mealtimes/breaks
  • use of site facilities, for example, lunchrooms and other amenities.
• Conduct and document your own assessment of the student’s knowledge of WHS requirements.
• Clarify work tasks with the student, distinguishing between:
  • tasks they can perform on their own with indirect supervision
  • tasks they can perform with direct supervision
  • tasks they should not perform under any circumstance during the placement.

Let them know what to do if they’re asked to do tasks that are outside the agreed rules.

• Collect relevant information and forms, for example, next of kin and emergency contacts.
• Give the student what they need for the placement, such as a locker key, access card, IT system access and uniforms.
• Give the student a copy of their roster with details of their work tasks and expectations.

Support for the student

• Explain to the student the role of the workplace buddy and supervisor.
• Set up a process for checking that supervisors and buddies are performing their roles adequately.
• Make sure the supervisor schedules regular meetings with the student, allowing enough time to:
  • check the student is receiving adequate guidance and feedback
  • check if the student is experiencing any difficulties e.g. with tasks or because of differences between work practices and their training
  • check the student is getting the learning experiences, tasks, equipment and documentation they need to meet the learning objective of the workplace learning plan
  • review the student’s written work
  • give constructive feedback that is:
    • aligned with the student’s learning goals
    • focused on observed behaviours
    • positive and encouraging
    • based on facts (not generalised)
    • documented as relevant, and
    • followed up at a later date
  • complete relevant sign-offs and other documentation.
• Make sure the student is informed if buddies or supervisors aren’t available on any given day or for a period of time.
• Offer to debrief students, either individually or as part of a group, if an incident occurs. Debriefs should be structured and timely—usually within 48 hours of an incident occurring.
• Check that the RTO assessor (or student facilitator) is meeting regularly with the student and the workplace supervisor. If not, follow up with the RTO.
• Check that the RTO assessor has (or plans to) attend the workplace to formally assess the student’s performance.

What to do if there are issues or concerns

• Establish and communicate processes for dealing with issues or concerns, including:
  • who the student can approach if they have a concern about or issue with their buddy, supervisor, or other member of staff (including contractors or other students or volunteers)
  • who the student’s buddy or supervisor, or other member of staff can approach if they have a concern or issue with the student
  • who will notify the RTO if the concern or issue cannot be resolved on-site directly between the student and the other party
  • who, from the service provider and RTO will meet to discuss the concern or issue if it cannot be resolved on-site directly between the student and other party
  • who’s responsible for investigating the concern or issue if it remains unresolved and of significant concern
  • who’s responsible for initiating the formal dispute resolution process outlined in the agreement.

After the placement

To fully realise the benefits of a work placement and improve future placements, it’s important to take the time at the end of the placement to:

• • finalise any outstanding requirements
  • discuss possible job opportunities with the student (if appropriate)
  • reflect on what went well and what could be improved
  • capture written feedback.
• At the end of the placement, check that:
  • you’ve formally recorded the end of the placement and cancelled IT and site access
  • the supervisor has completed all necessary documentation
  • the student has returned any equipment or items belonging to the service provider
  • the buddy, supervisor and other staff have given feedback on the student’s performance to the student co-ordinator or other nominated staff member
  • a nominated staff member has conducted an exit interview with the student and sought feedback on their placement experience.
• Debrief with your own staff and with the RTO:
  • schedule an internal meeting with relevant staff to discuss what worked well, issues or concerns, and opportunities to improve future placements
  • schedule a meeting with the RTO to jointly consider student and staff feedback and outcomes of internal meetings
  • agree and document actions in response to these learnings.
• Assess and record the costs and benefits to your organisation of hosting the placement, including whether the student goes on to work for your organisation. This will help you to track performance improvement over time and will contribute to future evaluations.
• Consider celebrating and promoting a successful work placement. For example:
  • hold a social function for staff, residents/clients and their families to mark the end of the student placements
  • write an article for your site’s newsletter and/or social media site congratulating students and staff on the successful completion of their placement.

Work placement guide for students

This checklist is designed to help students prepare for and get the most out of their work placement experience. Work placements give you an opportunity to put into practice the theory you’re learning in the classroom, and to demonstrate your abilities to a potential future employer. In fact, placements are sometimes called ‘long interviews’ because employers often use them to assess whether students would make suitable employees. A work placement can also help you decide what areas of work you enjoy, which can help with future career and study choices.

You’ll get the most out of your placement if you prepare well, put in your best effort and learn all you can while you’re there.

Before the work placement

Do you have the right knowledge and skills?

It’s up to your training provider to make sure you have the knowledge and skills needed for a work placement. You should have learned some theory and had the chance to practise your skills in a simulated workplace before your placement. Your training provider will assess whether you have the knowledge and skills you need, such as:

• your awareness of workplace health and safety requirements
• manual handling skills—you may still be developing these, but you should be able to work at a level that is safe for yourself and others
• infection control procedures
• communication skills – your training provider should feel confident that you have sufficient English language skills to perform in a work setting.

Have you met mandatory requirements for the workplace?

Before you’re allowed into the workplace, you’ll need to meet some mandatory requirements. You’ll need to have all vaccinations mandated by the government and you’ll also need to apply for pre-employment criminal history checks, which include one or more of the following:

• National Police Check—to work in aged care
• NDIS Worker Screening Check—to work for registered National Disability Insurance Scheme providers
• Working with Children Check—to work for registered National Disability Insurance Scheme providers, in a risk assessed role and who work with children.

If you’re under 18, parents/guardians may have to provide consent for some of these applications.

Talk to your training provider if you haven’t been told about these checks or the costs involved. Costs may have been included in your student fees or they could be additional.

If you’re studying on a student visa, check whether you need to provide any extra information before you can attend workplaces.

Check whether you need to hold a current driver’s license for your work placement.

Do you understand your workplace obligations?

Your training provider should make you aware of your obligations while on a work placement. These include:

• medical fitness—you need to be healthy while on work placement. Turning up unwell could put vulnerable clients at risk.
• presenting to work in a fit state—you can’t present to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including certain prescription medications)
• behaving in a professional manner—you need to comply with codes of conduct and behave professionally in the workplace
• strictly adhering to the site’s workplace health and safety policies
• understanding the importance of documentation—you need to fill in documents as required by the employer and by laws and accrediting bodies
• complying with safe and reasonable directions—you need to follow all safe and reasonable directions and let staff know if you’re being asked to do something that’s beyond your capability
• not attempting tasks beyond your current level of learning—it’s great to show initiative, but don’t take on work tasks that are beyond your scope of practice
• keeping information confidential, including any information about the employer, clients, visitors, and other staff
• dealing with challenging behaviour—you should have strategies for dealing with clients’ challenging behaviour and for de-escalating issues
• understanding duty of care obligations and mandatory reporting of suspected abuse—make sure you know what your obligations are and the procedure for raising concerns
• taking care not to misuse or damage property.

If you’re unclear about any of your legal or ethical obligations, or how to work safely, make sure you ask your trainer for advice.

Do you have a workplace learning plan?

Your trainer should involve you in developing a workplace learning plan for your placement that includes a learning objective, the learning experiences and work tasks you’ll be exposed to and how your performance will be assessed. This plan will help your training provider match you to a suitable service provider for work placement.

• Check that you fully understand your workplace learning plan, what’s expected of you, the role of the supervisor and how the training provider will conduct the assessment.

Do you understand the selection process?

Your training provider is likely to send relevant information about you and your work placement learning plan to an employer for their consideration. You may be asked to attend an interview.

At an interview, the employer will want to know that:

• you’re interested in learning about their work
• you have the maturity and aptitude needed to work in your selected area
• you’ll cope with the complexities and challenges of a placement
• you’re able to take the lead in your own learning
• you have good spoken and written communication skills.

It’s a good idea to prepare for the interview and to think about how you’ll demonstrate that you’re suited to a placement with the organisation. Think of some questions to ask the employer. For example, you could ask for their perspective on your learning plan objectives or ask questions about the organisation.

If you’re currently employed by a service provider and want to do your work placement with them, you can ask your training provider if that’s possible.

Do you have a Work Placement Agreement?

Before your placement, you’ll be required to sign a Work Placement Agreement that sets out the terms and conditions of the placement. Check you understand the work placement agreement and that you can comply with its requirements. If you’re not sure about any aspect of the agreement, talk to your training provider.

• Check you’ve been given a copy of the signed agreement and any supporting documents.

Note that the employer will also sign the agreement and be given relevant information about you, such as copies of your criminal history checks and confirmation of your vaccination status.

Are you prepared for Day 1 of your placement?

The employer or your training provider should give you all the information you need to start your work placement, including instructions for the first day, such as when to arrive, where to go, who will meet you, what to wear and who to contact if you have a valid reason for not attending.

• Contact your trainer if you don’t have this information.

It’s normal to feel a bit nervous about your placement. It can help to be do some preparation beforehand. For example, you could:

• revise relevant course material
• talk to other students about their placement experiences
• do some research about the employer by browsing their website
• find out what support is available during your work placement.

Starting your placement

On the first day, you should be given a thorough orientation and workplace induction, with information about the organisation, a tour of the site and facility and an introduction to key staff members. There’ll be lots of information to take in. It’s a good idea to take notes for future reference, including names of people you’re introduced to and any questions you want to follow up about.

Below is a checklist of things you should find out on your first day.

Workplace policies and procedures

It’s important to know about the following workplace policies and procedures and where to find them if you need to refer to them during the placement. These include:

• workplace health and safety and emergency procedures
• confidentiality and privacy policies
• conflict of interest policies
• codes of practice
• bullying, harassment, and discrimination policies
• expectations of professional behaviour, such as protocols for observing clients and codes of conduct
• guidelines for working with particular client groups, such as clients from CALD backgrounds
• how to identify and report concerns about resident/client welfare
• protocols for report writing and guidelines for recording information
• relevant legal obligations of workers
• dress/uniform standards (where applicable)
• where to find policy and procedures manuals.

Information about the organisation and staff

• map of the workplace
• site facilities, such as carparks, shower and change facilities, lunchrooms, lockers and other amenities
• facilities nearby, such as food outlets, banks, gyms and post office
• staff lists with roles and delegations
• descriptions of roles in the organisation
• information about communication procedures, for example, using computers, internet and email, phone messages, in/out communication board.

Student information

On your first day, you should be introduced to your buddy, supervisor and other key staff. You should also be told who you can go to if you have any questions or concerns. You should be given practical information about your placement, such as when you can take mealtimes and breaks, and what tasks you’ll be given.

• Check that by the end of the first day, you have:
• met your supervisor, buddy, and other key staff
• been given an orientation of the site and the organisation
• been given (or know you will be given) an induction
• IT access, an access card, personal storage facilities and access to equipment you need, such as personal protective equipment
• a roster, role description and a clear understanding of your daily tasks and work expectations.

If you don’t have all of these, speak to your buddy or supervisor.

During the placement

After the first week

By the end of the first week, you should feel confident that:

• you’re clear about the work tasks and learning opportunities you’ll be given and that they meet your placement learning objectives
• you’re getting enough day-to-day guidance and feedback from your buddy or other staff
• you’re doing tasks that are within your skill level and that you can do safely
• you have access to the equipment you need, including equipment to do your assessment such as IT, and patient and organisational files
• your supervisor and RTO assessor are scheduled to meet with you regularly
• your RTO is checking in to see how you’re settling into the placement
• you know how to raise any concerns you may have about the placement or about the safety of residents/clients.
• Talk to your supervisor if you’re not confident about any of these aspects of your placement.

Meetings with your supervisor

The role of your workplace supervisor is to oversee your placement and meet with you regularly to:

• confirm you’re being given suitable work that aligns with your workplace learning plan
• check that you’re able to handle the work you’re being given and that work practices align with your training
• make sure you have access to the learning experiences, equipment and documents you need
• make sure you’re receiving constructive feedback and guidance
• complete sign-offs and other relevant documents
• review your written work
• help to resolve any issues that come up.

Your supervisor should give you constructive feedback that is:

• aligned with your learning goals
• focused on observed behaviours
• positive and encouraging
• based on facts and specific (not generalised)
• They should also follow up and check how you’re going in addressing feedback.

While the supervisor will collect evidence about your performance to give to the RTO, it’s not their job to formally assess your performance. That will be done by the RTO assessor.

You’ll get the most out of meetings with your supervisor if you come prepared. Be ready to reflect on your practice and to discuss how you’ve addressed any previous feedback. Have written work and required documents with you and write down any questions you have for the supervisor. Raise any issues you might be having.

What if things go wrong?

Working in the aged care and disability support sectors can be very rewarding but can also present personal challenges and expose you to some confronting, distressing and demanding situations. If a particularly difficult incident occurs during your placement, your employer should offer you a chance to debrief with someone, within 12 to 48 hours of the incident. A debrief is a formal, structured reflection about the incident and actions taken, designed to give you a safe environment to openly express your feelings. The intention is to help you positively process incidences and reflect on what could have been done differently.

Some of the challenges of a work placement will come from interactions with other workers or clients/residents. During your placement you’re expected to interact in a mature and professional way and to keep smaller issues in perspective. However, if you have significant concerns about how you’re being treated by a staff member or resident/client, their families or visitors, you should raise this with your supervisor. If the concern persists, you should notify your training provider.

Most issues will be able to be resolved on-site quickly with the help of your trainer or workplace supervisor. If that’s not the case, the work placement agreement sets out a formal dispute resolution process, which can be used as a last resort. If you end up in a dispute with someone during your placement, remember that you should not make any disparaging remarks about the organisation or its staff, residents, and clients. This includes on social media.

After the placement

Below is a list of things that should happen at the end of or after your placement.

• Complete all relevant forms before you leave, including feedback forms, and hand back any equipment or documentation that belongs to the service provider.
• Your supervisor should complete any outstanding sign-offs or documentation. Talk to your training provider if you don’t have these within a reasonable amount of time.
• Formally thank the staff that have helped you during your placement. This can be as simple as an email or a cup of coffee. If someone’s been especially supportive, you might want to email their supervisor to let them know.
• You may want to thank residents/clients and their families with whom you’ve had regular contact, for their contribution to your learning.
• If you enjoyed your placement and want to be considered for future work opportunities, let your supervisor know.
• There may be aspects of your placement that you haven’t enjoyed. If you want to give professional and constructive feedback to the service provider, use formal channels (not social media) such as a survey or a confidential email to the service provider and your training provider.

Work Placement Agreement template

Below is a sample work placement agreement.

Before using this template, please note the following:

Check whether you’re obliged to use a different agreement

Find out whether your organisation or industry association has an existing work placement agreement template that you’re obliged to use.

Some issues may not be covered in this template

This template is intended as a starting point only. It may not cover all aspects of work placements and you might want to add clauses to address issues such as:

• gambling or smoking in the workplace
• whether students may be subject to random drug and alcohol testing on work placements
• the use of protective clothing
• the protection of intellectual property and conflict of interests
• whether the RTO holds personal accident insurance that will cover the student in the event of accidental injury, disability or death where no party is at fault.

While the template relates to mandatory work requirements in the Certificate III in Individual Support, it could potentially be used for other qualifications. If so, unique requirements of the qualification might need to be included in the agreement, such as clinical requirements for a nursing placement.

Due diligence is required

Service providers and RTOs are advised to do their own due diligence and to seek legal advice before signing agreements.

Acknowledgement

The Human Services Skills Organisation would like to acknowledge and thank Aged and Community Services Australia for permission to adapt their work placement agreement template to reflect the requirements of Certificate III in Individual Support.

Work Placement Agreement Template

1. Introduction

• The service provider has agreed to accept a student enrolled in a Certificate III in Individual Support at the RTO for the purpose of undertaking a voluntary, unpaid work placement.
• The student is undertaking study in an area relevant to the service provider and the student wishes to complete a work placement with the service provider to complete the mandatory work requirement of this qualification.
• The RTO has specified the learning objective/s, learning experiences and workplace tasks to be undertaken by the student during the work placement in support of the formal assessment requirements of the Certificate III in Individual Support to be undertaken by a qualified assessor.
• This Work Placement Agreement (this agreement) sets out the terms and conditions of these arrangements and the role and obligations of each of the parties.

2. Work placement details

• This agreement is made on the [INSERT DAY] day of [INSERT MONTH] of [INSERT YEAR] between the parties:

• • [INSERT FULL NAME] of [INSERT ADDRESS] in the State of [INSERT STATE OR TERRITORY] (“Student”), and
  • [INSERT SERVICE PROVIDER’S NAME] of [INSERT SERVICE PROVIDER’S ADDRESS] in the State of [INSERT STATE OR TERRITORY] (“Service provider”), and
  • [INSERT RTO’S NAME] of [INSERT REGISTERED TRAINING ORGANISATION’S ADDRESS] in the State of [INSERT STATE OR TERRITORY] (“RTO”).

3. Summary of work placement

View template

4. Purpose

• The purpose of this agreement is to document the arrangements that have been agreed between the RTO and the service provider to support student work placements for the Certificate III in Individual Support.
• By signing this agreement (at schedule 1), the parties to the agreement, students, service providers and RTOs, are committing to upholding these arrangements.

5. Work placement

• A work placement is a structured learning experience which gives students the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom in a work environment. Students undertake tasks that relate to their vocational course and their competency is assessed in the workplace by a suitably qualified assessor.
• In the context of this agreement, the work placement is a mandatory requirement of the Certificate III in Individual Support and students are not required to be paid. The student benefits from this arrangement by gaining practical experience in the workplace and by having the opportunity to satisfy the mandatory work requirements of the Certificate III in Individual Support.

6. Definitions

“Agreement” means this work placement agreement.

“Buddy” is the staff member appointed to provide daily guidance to the student during their work placement. The buddy should be a trusted staff member with the skills and abilities to convey best practice through example and the capacity to answer questions and to help the student to translate theory into practice during the work placement.

“Confidential information” includes any information (in any form) relating to the service provider’s business including names of residents or care recipients, information relating to the service provider’s fees, technical matters and data, trade secrets, marketing procedures and information, accounting programs and procedures, financial information, salaries, strategic and business plans and any like information relating to the service provider’s business and all other information which is imparted to the student and/or the RTO in circumstances which the student and/or the RTO knows or ought to reasonably to know that the information is confidential to the service provider. It does not include information that is in the public domain.

“RTO” is the Registered Training Organisation the student is enrolled with to undertake the Certificate III in Individual Support.

“RTO assessor” is an appropriately qualified educator for Certificate III in Individual Support who has current industry practice as a Personal Care/Support Worker, and who is employed by the RTO to facilitate student learning and assessment, off campus in the workplace setting. The RTO assessor will hold a valid Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or higher qualification.

“Schedule” means the schedule to this agreement.

“Service provider” is the aged care or disability support service provider that is hosting the student on a work placement.

“Site” means any site on which the service provider operates an aged services or disability services facility or on which the service provider provides services.

“Student” is the person enrolled in the Certificate III in Individual Support undertaking the work placement. The student is not an employee, contractor or agent of the service provider. They do not receive any wages or other remuneration from the service provider for the work placement apart from reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses required to safely complete their work placement.

“Supervisor” is the staff member designated by the service provider to develop and confirm the learning plan in collaboration with the RTO and to provide formal supervision to the student. The supervisor monitors the student’s completion of required tasks and provides constructive feedback as required.

“Supplementary evidence” is additional evidence presented to RTO assessors to support a candidate’s claim of competence. This could include reports from supervisors, colleagues and/or clients, testimonials from employers, work diaries and evidence of training.

“Workplace learning plan” documents the learning objective of the placement and the agreed learning experiences and workplace tasks that the student will be exposed to during the placement. It is prepared by the RTO and agreed to by the service provider.

7. Supporting documents

• This agreement should be supported by a workplace learning plan that is developed by an RTO and agreed to by the service provider prior to the placement to ensure the workplace can offer the required learning experiences.
• The workplace learning plan should include the following information and supporting documentation:

• • the learning objective of the placement
  • the units of competency to be assessed during the placement
  • the learning experiences and work tasks that the service provider will provide to the student during the placement, including details of:
    • the type of residents/clients the student will interact with
    • the equipment, documents, policies and procedures the student will have access to
  • guidance for workplace supervisors about:
    • how to make consistent judgements about student’s skills in performing tasks
    • the requirements of the RTO’s assessment process
    • the documentation they’ll need to complete.
  • supporting documentation such as student logbooks and learning portfolios
  • advice on the RTO’s assessment plan including when the assessor needs to be on-site and contact details for the assessor.

8. Student obligations

• The student is responsible for undertaking tasks to the best of their ability while at the service provider’s site, in line with the learning objective of the placement and their individual learning needs as documented in the workplace learning plan.
• The student acknowledges the voluntary nature of the placement and that they are not an employee of the service provider for the purposes of the work placement. The student acknowledges that no remuneration is payable.
• The student agrees to:
  • attend the site of the service provider at the agreed dates and times or notify the service provider and RTO when this is not possible due to ill health or any other reason
  • be in a fit state of health to carry out their agreed duties and be unaffected by illegal or prescription drugs and/or alcohol. The possession of illegal drugs while on the placement will result in this agreement being immediately terminated
  • comply with all relevant government health directives and the service provider’s policies and procedures in relation to vaccination against and management of communicable diseases
  • behave in a professional way at all times by complying with the service provider’s code of conduct, speaking respectfully to residents, clients, staff, volunteers and members of the public, and dressing appropriately
  • act honestly and in the best interest of the service provider
  • comply with all occupational health and safety requirements of the service provider
  • promptly follow lawful and suitable directions of the service provider and staff in respect to carrying out the agreed duties
  • carry out all duties carefully, safely and responsibly
  • cooperate and assist management and others as and when required
  • inform the service provider of any accident, injury, near miss or hazard, in which an injury occurs or could reasonably be expected to have occurred as soon as practicable
  • not place themselves or others at risk by practising outside their level of student learning or work placement learning plan
  • immediately inform the workplace supervisor or other nominated staff member if they are requested to undertake any task/s that they feel uncomfortable about or not yet capable of performing
  • keep all information relating to the service providers, residents/clients, staff, or volunteers confidential and, when in doubt, seek guidance from the supervisor before disclosing any information to anyone not associated with the work placement
  • notify the supervisor of any observations or suspicions of verbal or physical abuse of a resident or client by another resident, client, employee, volunteer or visitor while undertaking the placement
  • not misuse or damage property belonging to the service provider or resident/client and immediately notify the supervisor of any misuse if witnessed during placement
  • not make comments about the service provider, its clients and residents to the media (including social media) unless expressly authorised to do so by the service provider
  • immediately notify the service provider if arrested, charged or convicted of a criminal offence during the placement.
• The student understands that they may not be covered for personal injury, loss or damage of property if no-one is found to be at fault. The student should consider making their own arrangements for personal injury insurance after checking with their RTO.

9. Service provider obligations

• The service provider is responsible for providing supervised learning opportunities in a safe work environment which meet the objectives of the work placement learning plan.
• The service provider agrees to:
  • keep confidential all personal details about the student and provide them with the same privacy and confidentiality afforded to staff and volunteers as detailed in the service provider’s policies and procedures
  • make available to the student all service provider’s policies and procedures necessary to carry out a thorough orientation and induction of the student at the commencement of the work placement. The student’s signature will be sought to demonstrate that they understand and agree to these requirements. This process will include but not be limited to:
    • familiarisation with worksite, amenities, equipment, relevant staff, reporting structure, coaching support and debriefing
    • assessing the student’s workplace health and safety competence and compliance appropriate to their level of responsibility and relevance to the workplace learning plan
    • overview of management policies and procedures relating to code of conduct, bullying and harassment, information technology, the use of illicit and prescription drugs, alcohol, privacy and confidentiality, residents’/clients’ rights, mandatory reporting and the duty of care to ensure students understand that these requirements apply to them as well as staff
    • clinical care responsibilities such as medication handling and infection control.
  • provide learning experiences for the student in accordance with the workplace learning plan and in collaboration with the RTO
  • act in accordance with workplace responsibilities as set out in the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 and the Regulations made under that Act
  • not provide tasks which are known to exceed the student’s learning or level of skill expected to be achieved from the work placement.
  • Designate a member of staff who has the necessary skills to act as a buddy to the student and convey best practice, provide constructive feedback, instruction and guidance to assist the student to achieve the work placement learning plan objectives for the duration of the work placement.
  • Designate a member of staff who has the qualification and/or length of experience as agreed to by the RTO, as the student’s supervisor to collect supplementary evidence, provide feedback to the student and RTO about the student’s workplace performance, confirm attendance and complete student logbooks.
  • Effect and maintain [INSERT AMOUNT] public liability insurance and [INSERT AMOUNT] professional indemnity insurance for the purposes of indemnifying the RTO and the student from and against all claims, actions, proceedings or demands in respect of any loss, death, injury, illness or damage howsoever arising out of the service provider’s employee’s negligent acts and omissions or breach of this agreement during the placement. The service provider agrees to produce to the RTO evidence of the insurance policies as and when required by the RTO.

10. RTO obligations

• The RTO is responsible for supervising the student on work placement in collaboration with the service provider and for assessing their competence against nationally accepted requirements.
• The RTO agrees to:
  • adequately assess students prior to work placements to ensure students are suitable and willing to undertake the tasks that are required to fulfil the work placement objectives, including possessing the adequate communication skills and understanding of the English language to perform the tasks necessary to meet the objectives of the work placement
  • obtain from the student a current [INSERT NAME OF PRE-EMPLOYMENT CLEARANCE] which remains current for the duration of the placement and ensure the student has no previous convictions which would exclude them from working in the [INSERT NAME OF SERVICE SECTOR] current as outlined in [INSERT NAME OF RELEVANT LEGISLATION] and provide a copy to the service provider
  • ensure students have complied with all relevant health directives in relation to vaccination for communicable diseases
  • discuss with the student their functional capacity and fitness to perform the tasks and duties necessary to work in [INSERT NAME OF SERVICE SECTOR] and make reasonable effort to screen those students who, due to fitness or functional capacity, would be placed at risk of harm or injury to themselves, or others during the work placement
  • provide assurance to the service provider that the student has achieved minimum skill level to commence the work placement component of their course
  • prepare the student for the work placement by delivering instruction about industry expectations relating to documentation and the pace required in a work environment, the purpose and importance of the service delivery environment, and awareness of how to respond to client abuse, and challenging behaviours that may be encountered in the workplace
  • meet their obligations under the Workplace Health and Safety legislation including, but not limited to, ensuring that a service provider site risk assessment is completed at least annually
  • gather the evidence required to assess the student’s competency against the work placement objectives in conjunction with the service provider, and perform the assessment
  • take responsibility for initiating regular contact with the student and service provider to obtain feedback and discuss progress for the duration of the work placement
  • provide mediation between the student and the service provider in the event of any dispute, performance management issue, misunderstanding etc. which cannot be resolved on site
  • immediately make the service provider aware of any reason that becomes apparent which indicates that the student may not be fit to perform their duties to an acceptable standard without presenting a risk to themselves or others, at any time during the work placement
  • effect and maintain [INSERT AMOUNT] public liability insurance and [INSERT AMOUNT] professional indemnity insurance for the purpose of indemnifying the service provider from and against all claims, actions, proceedings or demands in respect of any loss, death, injury, illness or damage howsoever arising out of the RTO’s employees or the student’s negligent acts and omissions or breach of this agreement during the work placement. The RTO agrees to produce to the service provider evidence of the insurance policies as and when required by the service provider
  • advise the student that they may not be covered for personal injury or loss or damage to property by the service provider if no one is found to be at fault and discuss insurance cover with the student prior to the placement.

11. Dispute resolution

• The parties agree that this agreement may be suspended by the service provider or RTO if the service provider or RTO reasonably believe that any party has committed a serious breach of this agreement.
• In the event of a suspension pursuant to clause 11.1, the party initiating the suspension must conduct an independent investigation of the alleged breach.
• Upon conclusion of the investigation and receipt of the findings of the investigation, the party who has initiated the suspension may in its absolute discretion determine whether the agreement should be terminated without notice or whether the agreement shall continue.
• The service provider, the student and/or the RTO will meet and make every effort to resolve any dispute that arises between the parties out of, or in connection with, the work placement or this agreement.
• Should the service provider, the student and/or the RTO fail to resolve any dispute that has arisen between the parties out of, or in connection with, the work placement or this agreement, the recommended next course of action is to appoint an independent mediation service. If the dispute remains unresolved, either party may serve a Notice of Dispute on the other. Every effort must be made to ensure the student is not embroiled in a Notice of Dispute or legal proceedings.
• At the expiration of 14 days after service of the Notice of Dispute, the service provider, the student and/or the RTO shall, if any attempt to resolve the dispute has been unsuccessful, have the right to commence legal proceedings.

12. Variation/Cancellation

• The parties agree that:
  • the terms and conditions of this agreement form an agreed minimum standard and cannot be varied. Any additional requirements must be agreed to in writing by the RTO, the service provider and the student, and attached as a separate document
  • the agreement may be terminated at any time by the RTO, the service provider or the student by giving seven days’ notice in writing to each of the other parties as long as every effort has been made to minimise any resulting disadvantage to the student
  • this agreement may be terminated by the service provider or the RTO summarily at any time with immediate effect if any party fails, omits or neglects to comply with the service provider’s policies and procedures, or if the student is guilty of misconduct in connection with the performance of the duties under the work placement.

13. Schedule 1

Each party to the agreement should sign the declaration in Schedule 1, indicating that they have read and understood the work placement agreement and agree to abide by the terms and conditions.

Schedule 1

Declaration

By signing this agreement, I declare that I understand and agree to the terms and conditions in full as outlined in the agreement.

Student

Name:

Signature:

Date:

[INSERT SERVICE PROVIDER ORGANISATION NAME] representative

Name:

Signature:

Date:

[INSERT RTO NAME] representative

Name:

Signature:

Date:

Work placement student feedback survey

It’s important that both Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and service providers monitor and evaluate work placements, so they continue to improve over time. Capturing structured post-placement feedback from students, service provider staff and training provider staff will help you understand what’s working well and what could be improved.

It’s best practice for student feedback to be shared openly between service providers and RTOs, and for parties to discuss and document opportunities for improvement and action to be taken. Service providers and RTOs should also seek feedback from their own work placement staff, to inform a debrief between the parties.

Below are some suggested questions to ask in a student survey at the end of a placement.

Student feedback survey questions

Your feedback is important to both your training provider and work placement employer because it helps improve work placements for future students and improve training overall.

All feedback is kept strictly confidential.

Please complete this survey form to the best of your ability by providing honest and constructive feedback.

View survey

Acknowledgement

The Guide was designed following extensive consultation with RTOs, service providers, students and other stakeholders. A number of these organisations also generously shared their own resources.

The HSSO would like to thank all those who contributed their experience and insights to inform development of the guide, including the 206 RTOs that took the time to respond to a survey and the four organisations that gave their time to development of the case studies. These contributions are highly valued.

The HSSO would also like to acknowledge the work of Aged Care Services Australia (ACSA) in developing Best Practice Guidelines for Vocational Placements in the Aged Services Sector. The Guide draws on this earlier work in recognition of the quality of those guidelines.