School-Based Traineeships & Apprenticeships

A school-based traineeship lets you combine your senior schooling, paid part-time work with a real employer, and formal training toward a nationally recognised qualification.

An important thing to note is that you are a genuine employee. You will be paid under the relevant award for the hours you work. You’re released from school on a regular basis (usually around one day a week) to work and train, and the training you do counts toward both your qualification and your QCE.

It runs under a Training Contract signed by you, your employer, your parent or guardian, your school, and CTA as your training organisation. Everyone agrees to work together for the length of the traineeship. Because much of it happens during your school years, a school-based traineeship generally runs over a longer period than the equivalent full-time version.

• You’re released from school for work. Usually around one day a week, at a regular, set time negotiated between you, your school, your employer and your parent or guardian.
• You get paid. You’re a real employee, paid under the relevant award for the hours you work.
• You train toward your qualification. CTA delivers your training and assessment, either on the job or at a training venue. Depending on the qualification, this might be single training days spread through the year, or a block (for example, a week during school holidays each term).
• It counts toward your QCE. The units you complete contribute to your Queensland Certificate of Education and are recorded in your learning account, so you’re progressing at school and toward a national qualification at the same time.
• Your hours flex around school. Because hours are averaged over each three-month period, you can ease off during exams and pick things up over the holidays.

For students

• Earn while you learn — a real wage from day one.
• Get qualified early — finish school with a nationally recognised qualification and real work experience on your résumé.
• Build your QCE — your training contributes credit toward your senior certificate.
• Test-drive a career — find out whether an industry suits you before committing years to it.
• A head start on everyone else — while your peers are starting from scratch, you’re already in the door, often with a job offer from the employer who trained you.

For parents

• A real, structured pathway — not just casual work, but a formal Training Contract with genuine qualifications attached.
• Employability — your child leaves school with experience, a qualification and a proven work ethic, which sets them apart whether they head straight into work or on to further study.
• Balance built in — hours are capped and averaged around school commitments, and exams take priority. The arrangement is designed to support schooling, not compete with it.
• Support at every step — CTA, the school and the employer all work together under one agreement, with clear responsibilities on each side.

For schools

• Stronger senior pathways — offer students a genuine vocational option that keeps them engaged and progressing toward their QCE.
• Nationally recognised outcomes — students earn credit toward their certificate through training delivered by an experienced RTO.
• A trusted delivery partner — CTA has over 30 years’ experience delivering industry training and coordinates the process with your VET team, employers and families.
• Retention and engagement — hands-on, work-connected learning that helps keep students motivated through their senior years.