Credit for Apprenticeships in the Building and Construction Industry - A Vocational Training Guideline

Issued: 24 January 2007

Pursuant to Section 4 of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001, the following Guideline is issued in relation to establishing the levels of credit to be granted towards the nominal term of apprenticeships in the recognised trade vocations on the attached schedule.

The Guideline applies to the functions relating to the making of vocational training directions concerning the recognised trade vocations on the attached schedule and shall be exercised by the Vocational Training Tribunal or the Commissioner for Vocational Training or the Commissioner’s delegate(s).

An applicant apprentice who has successfully completed an approved course of study and who is a party to an apprenticeship training contract in a relevant recognised trade vocation will be accorded credit towards the nominal term of that apprenticeship at the level outlined on the attached schedule.

This credit is subject to the following requirements:

• The applicant apprentice shall be able to demonstrate successful completion of a relevant course of study by providing appropriate documentary evidence of such completion.
• An application to establish an apprenticeship in the relevant trade is submitted on the approved format of a training contract to the Department of Education and Training within 12 months of completion of the course.
• Where an application is lodged more than 12 months after completion of the approved course of study the level of credit is to be determined by negotiation between the proponent parties to the apprenticeship up to a maximum of the level of credit listed on the attached schedule.
• The applicant apprentice shall enrol in a qualification relevant to the approved course of study completed and provided for in the relevant vocational training order for that recognised trade vocation.
• Should other relevant industry training or experience be demonstrated by the applicant apprentice, further credit may be determined by the proponent parties in addition to the credit agreed for the successful completion of the approved course of study.

Apprentices who are able to demonstrate that they have satisfied all the requirements to achieve competency in the trade may, on application by themselves and their employers, to the Commissioner for Vocational Training seek early completion prior to the nominal completion date of the contract term.

Andrew Cappie-Wood
Director-General of Education and Training
Managing Director of TAFE NSW

Other Resources:

• Schedule of Declared Trades and Approved Level of Credit for Courses of Studies in the Building and Construction Industry