School, work and training timetable

School-based apprentices and trainees typically:

• work at least 7.5 hours per week, averaged over every 3 months, for every 12 months of the training contract
• attend school for most of the week
• participate in regular training delivered by the training organisation (e.g. online at school, at TAFE or trade school or at the workplace during the hours of work).

But this varies, depending on the situation.

School timetable requirements

For an apprenticeship or traineeship to be 'school-based' (versus part-time), work and/or training hours must impact on the student's school timetable.

This means that students must either:

• work during school hours
• attend training during school hours.

Some students drop a subject(s) to allow time for work and/or training to occur during school hours.

If there is no obvious impact on the school timetable, meaning that work and training occur after school hours or on weekends, then the apprenticeship or traineeship can't be school-based. If it is to go ahead, it must be part-time, which has different requirements.

Understand school-based versus part-time arrangements.

Example timetables

Example A

A school-based apprentice works 2 days a week (including Saturdays) and attends school 4 days a week.

Every second week, they attend 4 hours of training with their training organisation, while at work.

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
Week 1	School Work	School	School	School	School	Work
Week 2	School Work (4 hours) Training (4 hours)	School	School	School	School	Work

Example B

A school-based apprentice works 2 days a week (including Saturdays) and attends school 4 days a week.

However, once a month, the school-based apprentice attends training with the training organisation for a block of 3 days.

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
Week 1	School Work	School	School	School	School	Work
Week 2	School Work	School	School	School	School	Work
Week 3	School Training	School Training	School Training	School	School	Work
Week 4	School Work	School	School	School	School	Work

Example C

A school-based trainee works Saturdays only, but drops the subject, Sports, during the week to attend training.

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
School	School	School Sport Training	School	School	Work

Find more timetable examples in the Guide to school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.

Timetable formula and template

There is no set formula on how work and/or training should impact the student's school timetable.

The school negotiates the student's timetable with the student, parent/guardian (if applicable), employer and training organisation. The school is best placed to decide whether the proposed arrangements impact the school timetable enough.

These arrangements must be documented in a schedule, which we can request during an audit.

Schools can use our form for this purpose.

Form ATF-023 Education, Training and Employment Schedule (ETES) (PDF)