Work Ready
Program
PUBLIC SCHOOLS NSW
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Core Units
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Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
PUBLIC SCHOOLS NSW
– Out & About
– The Right Look
– Act Right
– Talk the Talk
– Work Safely
– Hands Off, Mouths Shut
– Keep it Quiet
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Module: Out & About
What is Workplace Learning?
Workplace learning programs encourage young
people to gain practical experience of work, learn
industry and workplace skills.
Direct experience in a workplace helps students learn
about:
- The changing nature of work and workplaces,
- Attitudes and skills employers are looking for,
- Careers and opportunities that are available and,
- Training and further education that may be needed.
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Programs Available
There are two types of programs available:
 Work experience
 Mandatory work placement for a range of Higher School
Certificate (HSC) vocational education and training (VET)
courses.
Other workplace learning programs include enterprise
education programs, community learning, and student
mentoring programs conducted by employers in the
workplace
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Differences in Programs
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Requirements of VET courses - USI
• To be credentialed for any VET course or part of a VET
course delivered at school, TAFENSW or a Private
Provider you will be required to create a Unique
Student Identifier (USI).
• This includes the White Card Course, a Barista Course
or a First Aid Course, as these course are classified as a
VET unit of competency.
• To create a USI for yourself, ask your teacher for the
form and visit the USI website.
• When you have created your USI, give the number to
the school (best way is to forward the email from the
USI registry).
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Benefits of Workplace Learning Programs
With planned & appropriate workplace learning programs, students can:
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Achieve work-related skills &
industry specific competencies
(in VET courses)
Develop & practise industry
competencies in a real workplace
setting
Experience adult roles &
responsibilities in the workplace
Identify various avenues of entry
into the world of work & further
education and training
Clarify & evaluate their abilities and
interests in relation to career
choice
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 Explore a range of workplace
experiences
 Demonstrate an understanding of
employment opportunities within
an industry
 Develop social & communication
skills in a workplace environment
 Apply business & industry
concepts to curriculum &
classroom activities
 Enhance self esteem, confidence
& maturity through participating
in an adult work environment
 Identify what employers are
looking for in future employees
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Mandatory Procedures 1
 Student Placement Record
 Employers’ Guide to Workplace Learning
 Parents’ Guide to Workplace Learning
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Mandatory Procedures 2
Prohibited Activities
 Listed below are workplace learning activities, which are prohibited.
Suggest the reason for this.
Service of alcohol if under 18
Travel by helicopter
Air travel on chartered flights unless regular route
Travel outside 12 nautical miles at sea
High risk construction work
Use of machinery dangerous for new or young workers
Work of a sexual or explicit nature
Any activity requiring a licence permit
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Mandatory Procedures 2 (cont)
Restricted Activities
 List some possible injuries or accidents, which could arise from
participating in these activities.
Use of farm or gardening machinery & equipment including tractors
Commercial shipping
Aircraft maintenance
Attendance at meat processing plants
Horse riding
Long distance transport
Metal & Engineering worksites
 Although these activities are not prohibited, they are restricted and
should only be undertaken if the school principal has given specific
permission for the student to undertake the task.
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Mandatory Procedures 3
Prohibited Activities
und hold an
 Construction Workplace learning activities students
wishing to undertake activities in the following
construction environment will need to hold an WHS
(white card) for construction work. Students can
access this training through their school.duction
Certificate (white card) for construction work. Students can
access this training through their school.
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Types of Construction Work
Construction work is defined in Clause 3 of the NSW OHS Regulation 2001 and means any of the following:
• excavation: including the excavation or filling of trenches, ditches, shafts, wells, tunnels and pier holes, and
of caissons and cofferdams,*
 building: including the construction (including the manufacturing of prefabricated elements of a building
at the place of work concerned), alteration, renovation, repair, maintenance and demolition of all types of
buildings,
 civil engineering: including the construction, structural alteration, repair, maintenance and demolition of,
for example, airports, docks, harbours, inland waterways, dams, river and avalanche and sea defence
works, roads and highways, railways, bridges and tunnels, viaducts, and works related to the provision of
services such as communications, drainage, sewerage, water and energy supplies.
(* Caissons and cofferdams are used in construction activities in marine environments such as rivers.)
Note that the following activities also require successful completion of the WHS General Construction
Induction training for Construction Work :
 all the building trades including repairs carried out in houses (plumbing, electrical, carpentry and joinery,
roof tiling, wall tiling, painting, plastering, concreting, paving)
 landscaping involving construction activity eg paving, concreting, drainage
 surveying related to a building and construction site. Surveying prior to commencement of construction is
exempt.
 maintenance work
 installation of air conditioning, security systems, fire sprinkler systems, fire doors, glass
 installation of kitchens and cabinets etc. (Note that working in a factory which manufactures cupboards
does not require the WHS for the construction industry but installation of the cupboards does require it.
Students can work in a factory and then observe the installation on the site.)
 installation of vertical blinds
 fencing
 construction of dams.
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Mandatory Procedures 4
Accidents & Emergencies
WORKPLACE LEARNING
SAFETY & EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
STUDENT CONTACT CARD
FOR ▪ Be aware of risk at all times where you are working.
▪Ask for information, instruction, training and on-going
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
supervision when undertaking an activity, especially where you
Student Name: _________________________________
are asked to undertake an unfamiliar activity, or an activity in
Student Name: _________________________________
unfamiliar surroundings, for example, where there is not much
School: _______________________________________
light or ventilation.
School: _______________________________________
▪Concerns about safety at the workplace are always legitimate
and always need to be addressed to your satisfaction. Tell your
If you are injured in the workplace
supervisor if you have any safety concerns. Make sure they are
▪Seek first aid or medical help immediately.
addressed, for example, through a safe work method statement
▪Contact the school, TAFE NSW institute or emergency contact
or (if you are in a construction industry) a toolbox talk.
▪Ask the doctor attending for a medical certificate.
▪Take responsibility for thinking about occupational health and
▪Use your Medicare number: do not treat as a Worker’s Compensation claim.
safety.
My Medicare No: ______________________________
▪Ring your nominated contact if in doubt about your safety (see
Complete a written report of the accident and forward it to the school or
below)
relevant TAFE college.
WORKPLACE LEARNING
STUDENT CONTACT CARD
FOR
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
For an emergency out of normal business hours (where
applicable) my contact is:
My nominated contact during normal business hours from
my school/TAFE NSW institute/P/C RTO is:
Name: _______________________________
Contact name: ________________________________________
Telephone:____________________________
Contact number: _______________________________________
Mobile Number: ________________________
Parent/Carer Name:_____________________
Mobile Number: _________________________________________
Telephone: ____________________________
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Mandatory Procedures 5
Travel Arrangements
 When choosing your workplace be aware of the costs
involved in travel and the time it will take you.
 You are responsible for finding your own way to the
workplace. Discuss travel options with your family.
 If you need to use public transport, enquire through the
school for arrangements which could entitle you to pay half
fare or use your school bus/train pass. Take extra money with
you in case this does not happen.
 Students over 16 may request a “student concession card”
from their school, to use while travelling to and from
workplacement.
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Work Placement Anecdotes Payment / Reward / Remuneration / Gift
In groups, discuss these scenarios:
 A student works at night in a bakery for a week. At the end of each long night's work, she is given two
loaves of bread and a dozen buns, the same as each of the other three bakery staff.
 A student undertakes work placement in the clothing section of a large Department store. At the end of
the week's placement, he purchases $75 worth of clothing from the store, and is offered the 10%
discount on goods to which all employees are entitled to.
 A country student gains a placement with an architect in the city. The manager of the company is so
impressed with the student's efforts that she offers the student $100 cash as she is about to leave for
home at the end of the week. The teacher responsible for work placement makes the point that she
does not do this with all work placement students.
 A student undertakes work placement in a hairdressing salon, as he is keen to investigate the possibility
of a career in hairdressing. On the second day, he is offered a free shampoo, cut and styling, at no
charge, because the salon is not very busy.
 At the end of an enjoyable week-long placement in the local chemist shop, a Year 11 student is offered a
large gift basket from the shop, containing some perfume, soaps and powder. The chemist insists that
she takes the basket, which retails at $35, as a token of his and his staff's gratitude for her efforts during
the week.
 After spending an exciting week on a fishing trawler, a student is given a plastic crate of crayfish, in
appreciation of the student's willingness to work hard as a deck-hand throughout the week. The trawler's
captain explains to the student that all other crew members get a supply of crayfish like this, weekly.
 A student, who is keen on sport, undertakes a week's work placement at a leading sports store. The
supervisor is so impressed by her approachable nature and willingness to learn, that he gives her two
cans of tennis balls at the end of the week.
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Module: The Right Look
Clothing & Accessories
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Clothing
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Style
Colour
Ironed
Clean, comfortable and appropriate
for the Workplace
Appropriate and comfortable footwear
for work
3 B’s – No boobs, bottoms & belly
PPE – personal protective equipment
as required by the workplace
PUBLIC SCHOOLS NSW
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Accessories
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Jewellery appropriate for work, that is
not offensive e.g. eye, mouth and
tongue piercings are not appropriate
Bag / Folder
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Personal Presentation
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Hair
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Style
Trimmed
Clean
Appropriate for work – Hair
off face/tied back
Make-up
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Personal Hygiene
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Daily shower
Clean teeth and breath
Clean manicured nails
Attention to body odour
Clean shaven
No overpowering scents
Appropriate for the
workplace
Not overdone (clown face)
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Module: Act Right
 identify the qualities most important to today’s employer
 list elements of a good work attitude
 give an example of an employee showing enthusiasm on the
job and understand its importance to employers
 give an example of an employee being open and understand
its importance to employers
 give an example of an employee being willing to do whatever
work has to get done and understand its importance to
employers
 give an example of self-motivation on the job and understand
its importance to employers
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Employer Values
Discuss essential qualities important to the employer
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Employer Survey
The following table
lists some of the
things that employers
think are important
when considering if
they will offer work to
a school leaver.
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Aggressive Behaviour
A person behaving aggressively will:
 stand up for their rights in such a way that they violate the
rights of the other person
 express thoughts, feelings and beliefs in unsuitable and
inappropriate ways, even though they honestly believe
those views to be correct
 believe their opinions are more important than anyone
else’s
 blame others or outside factors for mistakes, show
contempt, be hostile, attacking or patronising.
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Assertive Behaviour
A person behaving assertively will:
 stand up for their rights in a way that does not violate
another person’s rights
 express themselves in an open, honest and direct way
 show that they understand the position taken by the other
person.
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Non-assertive Behaviour
 A passive (or non-assertive) person will:
fail to stand up for their own rights
express their feelings or beliefs in an apologetic or
cautious way
may fail to express their thoughts, feelings and beliefs
at all
believe that their own needs and wants are less
important
give long justifying explanations and put themselves
down while trying to accommodate the needs and views
of others.
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Module: Talk the Talk
Communication involves
the transfer of
information from one
party to another. To be
successful, both parties
must receive and
understand the same
message
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Active Listening
Active listening is listening with intensity,
empathy, acceptance and a willingness to be
part of the conversation.
Effective two-way communication relies upon
active listening skills.
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Eye Contact
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The face shown has a
shaded area that indicates
the correct place to look at a
person for positive eye
contact.
Think about where else you
might be tempted to look at
someone during a
conversation.
Looking at someone
anywhere outside of the
triangular target zone is likely
to cause some degree of
embarrassment.
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Communication in the Workplace 1
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Communication in the Workplace 2
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Communication
In groups play a game of Chinese
Whispers.
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Chinese Whispers
Answers
The little boy was playing in the mud and his red
shirt is now brown
The girl wearing the purple spotted dress is about
to fall in the pool
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Barriers to Communication

Steve, can you pick me up in the morning?

How about dropping around to my place after
school tomorrow?
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Body Language
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Written Communication
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Verbal Language
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Here are some common
expressions you might
use in conversation.
Suggest alternatives
which are more
appropriate to a work
situation where correct
speech & grammar are
expected.
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Module: Work Safely
 Did you know?
 In NSW during one accident year:
181 people died at work. This is like three full school
buses crashing and killing everyone on board
58,604 workers were injured or made sick. This is
more people than the crowd at the Big Day Out
concert. This cost us $2 billion for this year alone.
Of the 58,604, there were 9,209 of these workers
under 25.
30% of injuries were to workers’ backs.
Labourers, plant and machine operators and
tradespeople have the biggest chance of injury.
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Why is WHS an important issue?
NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011
is a legal requirement which refers to being as
safe as possible in your workplace.
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How does WHS relate to me in
the workplace?
In the workplace you are responsible for:
Your actions – what you do
Your inactions – what you don’t do
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What are the employers’
responsibilities in terms of OH&S?
According to the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, it is the
employers’ responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace. In
general the employer must:
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identify potential hazards
Control the hazards
Evaluate procedures
Follow the health and safety
policies provided by the
employer and keep up to
date with any changes
Practise safe work habits
and obey all safety rules,
and never take short cuts or
chances
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Tell their supervisor about
potential hazards in the workplace
Never try to perform work they are
not qualified to do or work they
have not been trained to do
Know emergency procedures,
including fire evacuation, and
follow them.
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In case of an accident
 Can I get workers’ compensation?
NO. As students are volunteers, not employees, it is not
classified as workers’ compensation. (Students are not
to receive payment for Workplace Learning or Work
Experience as this will negate the cover of insurance
supplied by DEC.)
Remember that your work place experience is a
mandatory component of your HSC. Employers give up
their time to supervise you while you are at work.
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What should I do if I have an accident?
 NB Emergency procedures are found on your work placement
I.D card. Carry this card on you at all times.
 Let your employer know immediately an accident occurs.
 Seek medical assistance
 Your medical bills will need to be claimed through Medicare
and private health insurance.
 The employer will contact the school as soon as possible.
 After the school is notified your written
statement of the accident will be required.
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Module: Hands Off, Mouth Shut
 Harassment is any form of behaviour that is not wanted and
which:
 humiliates you (puts you down), or
 offends you
 intimidates you, or
 causes you emotional or physical harm.
 Harassment is a type of discrimination
 In some cases, a single act may be enough to amount to
harassment
 Anyone can be harassed e.g. people of any age, race or
religion; women or men
 Harassment is often about one person (or a group) using
power inappropriately over another person or group.
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Examples of Sexual Harassment that have
occurred during Workplace Learning
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A male worker has shut the door to the office
and then has come very close to a female
student, invading her personal space, to explain
the week's program, and has persisted in
rubbing up against her body and touching her.
Male workers in the workplace have continually
leered at a student, have wolf-whistled and
made sexually suggestive comments as a
female work placement student walked past.
A female student was repeatedly asked out by
one of the male workers in the office. When she
refused, he kept teasing that she was playing
"hard to get" and that he knew that she really
liked the attention he was giving her. He began
to make offensive suggestions about her sex life
when he realised that she really did mean no.
The supervisor of a girl persisted in suggesting
that he wanted sexual favours from her. He
made comments such as "Come back and see
me next week and I'll fix you up with a job", and
"I'll really look after you if you'll let me".
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A female student went to a worksite where
most of the workers were males. In several of
the work areas, including the one where she
was expected to work for most of the week,
there were posters of naked females in
suggestive poses, which offended her.
A male student went to a motor garage, at
which there were employed four males. During
the placement, one of the male workers placed
a grease-gun inside the front of the student's
jeans and squirted the gun several times.
A male student went to a workplace where
there were mainly males working. Some of the
workers considered that the student looked
and acted in an effeminate way, and made
wise-cracks to that effect. When the student
opened his lunch book one lunch-time, he
found that one of the workers had placed in it a
condom and a pamphlet about AIDS.
A male student in a factory was continually
made fun of by a group of women workers
about his perceived lack of sexual experience.
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Examples of Racial Harassment that have
occurred during Workplace Learning
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You are an Italian student who has only been
in Australia for a few months. You overhear
one of the workers 'taking you off' and
mimicking your accent. What could you do?
During lunchtime, whilst you are on your
placement, you have lunch with a group of
workers who continually poke fun at people of
Irish background by telling Irish jokes. You are
offended by these and similar statements
which belittle people because of their cultural
background. What could you do?
You and an Aboriginal student from your
school attend a placement at the same
workplace. You overhear the employer
informing workers of the presence of "two
students on work placement, and one of them
is an ‘Abo’ ". What could you do?
You are a student whose parents emigrated
from Vietnam fifteen years ago. You undertake
a placement at a small workplace. On the
second day of the placement, you go into the
toilet and find "Asians Out” written in red on
the toilet wall. It was not there yesterday. What
could you do?
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You are a student of Greek background who
undertakes a placement in an office environment.
On the third day of your placement a number of
workers call you 'Spiros', which is not your name.
What could you do?
You have arranged, with your teacher, to
undertake a placement in a medium-sized bakery,
expecting to gain hands-on-experience in the
baking area. On a pre-visit, you had noticed that a
number of workers in that area were of nonEnglish speaking background. On the first day of
your placement, the supervisor sets you to work in
the clerical section after commenting that "the
manual jobs are only for migrants. You should
aspire to something a bit better than that". What
could you do?
You and your parents emigrated from India when
you were four years of age. You undertake a
placement in a small retail store. One customer
comes in, selects a variety of goods, but demands
to be served by someone other than you, and
mutters that "these migrants should all go back
where they come from". What could you do?
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What Would You Do?
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If Workers Lodge A Formal Complaint
About Harassment, What Will Happen?
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No action will be taken against your wishes.
Any action which is taken will be in consultation with you.
Any complaints will be completely confidential.
You will not be blamed.
Your rights will be respected.
Any help or support which you require will be provided.
You will be protected from subsequent victimisation.
Should you suffer harassment whilst on Workplacement or Work
Experience, notify your family and school as soon as possible.
REMEMBER: SEXUAL AND RACIST HARASSMENT ARE
UNLAWFUL AND IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO BE
PROTECTED.
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Module: Keep It Quiet
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