A trial project has been approved by the Department of Training and Workforce Development in which the minimum hours for selected part-time community services traineeships be reduced from 20 to 15 hours per week.

This two year pilot project will ensure more part-time staff in the aged, disability  and community care sectors will be eligible for traineeships. The long sought reduction is the result of a joint initiative by National Disability Services, Aged and Community Services WA, CommunityWest  and the Community Services, Health and Education Training Council.

The trial project is limited to the following six traineeships:

•  Aged Care Work (level 3)

•  Aged Care Work (level 4)

•  Disability Services (level 3)

•  Disability Services (level 4)

•  Home & Community Care (level 3)

The official breakfast launch was held on Friday, 12 February 2010, hosted by Nulsen Disability Services at their Cannington facility. The launch heralded the start of the trial project that is expected to lead to a big increase in the numbers of enrolments for traineeships in these sectors.

To mark the new opportunities, traineeship contracts were signed on the day for Nulsen staff who will now be eligible for a part-time traineeship.

CCI Apprenticeship Solutions account manager Anna Cobbold said she believed the change would have a big impact on the number of traineeships undertaken in the next couple of years, giving flexibility much needed by the community health sector.

The traineeships will provide access to benefits such as work based training and assessment, improvements in staff retention, and increase in numbers of workforce with the appropriate qualifications, training contracts and Australian Government incentives and funding to the RTO for training delivery.

Contact your CCI Apprenticeship Solutions account manager or call 1800 224 224 to find out how traineeships can help support your business.