Practical Placements: Host Employer
Information – VET Students in Victoria
Thank you for agreeing to be part of a practical placement program with the University of Ballarat
VET Program. You have been chosen as an employer who can provide a work environment that will help students gain valuable experience in the practical skills required in their courses.
We appreciate your willingness to have students on placement and hope it is a rewarding experience for you, your organisation, and the student.
Practical placement involves students being placed with a host employer to apply what they have learned in their course to the work environment. Practical placement is different from work experience in that instead of just observing what goes on, students are given the opportunity to perform tasks relating to their course in an appropriate industry setting. Students will have specific learning outcomes or activities to undertake while on the placement. These learning outcomes will be discussed with you by the University contact and may involve you or your staff providing feedback to the student and University.
As a host employer, participation will enable you to:
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Improve productivity in your industry by making training programs more relevant;
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Gain community goodwill for helping students improve their skills and increase their employment opportunities;
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Have exposure to immediate part time or casual employees; and
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Have access, without obligation, to potential trained employees.
It is essential that you sign and return the Practical Placement Agreement Form before the start of the placement as it activa tes the Department of Education’s WorkCover insurance and is a safeguard if a problem should occur during the placement. Without the practical placement agreement, a student who incurs an injury whilst on a placement may not be entitled to compensation under the Department of Education’s insurance policy.
The form also identifies the number of hours the student will attend and the time period. It is important for students to work within the hours identified on the form as they will not be covered by the WorkCover insurance arrangement if they work outside the identified times.
Treat students like a new employee and provide them with an induction, including any occupational health and safety considerations. You may need to point out things that your experienced staff members take for granted, including:
 occupational health and safety practices used in your workplace;
 times for starting, finishing and breaks;
 names and roles of key personnel;
 location of facilities;
 procedures to be followed if there is an accident or emergency;
 risks or hazards on the job; and
 treatment of confidential information
Authorised by:
Maintained by:
Page 1 of 4
Warning – Uncontrolled when printed! The current version of this document is kept on the UB website.
Academic Board
Chair, Academic Board
CRICOS Provider Number: 00103D
Original Issue:
Current Version:
Review Date:
14/11/2007
03/11/2010
03/11/2013

Practical Placements: Host Employer
Information – VET Students in Victoria
It is very important for students to attend the placement as negotiated. If the student is absent, or late, it is important for the University contact to be informed. You will also be asked to confirm a record of the student’s attendance.
If the student is unable to complete the placement in the required time, as identified on the
Practical Placement Agreement, additional hours may be negotiated and the new arrangements identified in writing.
For the purposes of the students’ WorkCover insurance, an Order of the Governor in Council has fixed the minimum rate of pay under ETRA for each student on a practical placement at $5.00 per day (employers who are a Commonwealth Government department or a body established by a
Commonwealth Act are, however, not required to make this payment).
Employers should be paying each of their practical placement students at least the minimum rate of $5.00 per day. Failure to make such a payment could jeopardise a student’s WorkCover insurance coverage.
The Australian Taxation Office has advised that students paid $5 per day for the term of a practical placement need not have a tax file number or submit a tax return. You are also not required to issue group certificates. Note, however, that if students receive more than $5 per day, the exemptions may not apply.
If your organisation is unable to make this payment, please discuss this with the University contact.
The VRQA has a WorkCover insurance policy with NRMA Workers Compensation (Victoria) Ltd that provides insurance coverage for host employers providing work placements should a student sustain an injury whilst on the placement. The Department of Education meets premium costs.
WorkCover does not cover any employee, including practical placement students, travelling to or from work.
If the student is injured during placement he or she must inform the workplace supervisor and
University as soon as possible. If it is an emergency you should contact the emergency contact on the Medical Consent form and inform the University.
You and the student will then need to complete and sign the Worker’s Claim for Compensation form and Employer Claim Report, together with any accompanying medical certificates or accounts, and forward to the University. The University will then forward forms to the NRMA
Workers Compensation (Victoria) Ltd. You should keep copies of all forms for your records.
Authorised by:
Maintained by:
Page 2 of 4
Warning – Uncontrolled when printed! The current version of this document is kept on the UB website.
Academic Board
Chair, Academic Board
CRICOS Provider Number: 00103D
Original Issue:
Current Version:
Review Date:
14/11/2007
03/11/2010
03/11/2013

Practical Placements: Host Employer
Information – VET Students in Victoria
If you work in an industry which requires staff and volunteers to have Police and Working with
Children Checks, then students will show you an appropriate Check prior to commencing the placement. The University contact will discuss the details of the police and working with children check process.
It is essential that students follow the occupational health and safety guidelines of your workplace and are not placed in an unsafe situation. They should also be treated fairly and not be subjected to bullying or unlawful discrimination. A listing of the roles and responsibilities of all parties is provided below.
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To verify sighting of student Police and Working with Children Check, if required, by returning notification letter to the nominated School contact.
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To sign and return practical placement agreement forms.
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To treat student information, in particular medical information, in confidence.
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To explain the expectations of the host employer regarding performance of tasks, employer standards, hours of work, Occupational Health and Safety requirements and any other relevant details, prior to commencement.
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To ensure that the student is adequately briefed on the host employers policy and procedures.
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To inform clients and the host employers staff as to the role of the student while undertaking placement.
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To treat the student as a student, and not a paid member of staff.
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To support the student's work on a day to day basis.
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To take responsibility for the general supervision and educational development of the student while in the workplace so that placement objectives are achieved.
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To notify the University if it is felt that the student is not complying with the general rules of the host employer, or not making satisfactory progress.
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To notify the University if the student is absent or late.
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To verify student attendance records.
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To participate in the agreed assessment process.
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To arrange for a Police and Working with Children Check, if required, and present the original to the host employer.
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To complete and sign practical placement agreement and medical forms.
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To demonstrate sensitivity and discretion toward the clients of the service.
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To work within the host employer’s structure, meet the host employers standards, policies and procedures.
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To work within the hours identified on the practical placement agreement form.
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To conform to the host employers hours and arrangements.
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To be aware of and adhere to ethical standards.
Authorised by:
Maintained by:
Page 3 of 4
Warning – Uncontrolled when printed! The current version of this document is kept on the UB website.
Academic Board
Chair, Academic Board
CRICOS Provider Number: 00103D
Original Issue:
Current Version:
Review Date:
14/11/2007
03/11/2010
03/11/2013

Practical Placements: Host Employer
Information – VET Students in Victoria

To inform the host employer and University contact if they are absent.
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To actively participate in the professional learning process.
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To be aware and adhere to confidentiality
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To be aware they are under the direction of the nominated workplace supervisor, in so far as the direction is compatible with their level of skill and knowledge.
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To be aware that they are a student and not an extra staff member.
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To notify the host employer and/ or University if there are difficulties with the placement.
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To not use their car to transport clients, any host employer staff, or equipment.
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Negotiate individual practical placements.
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Ensure any placement requiring over 240 hours is covered in the approved Scope.
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Ensure practical placement agreement forms are completed.
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Ensure any practical placement undertaken onshore by international students meets the requirements of the Guidelines for Applications for Approval of Work-Based Training in
Courses for Overseas Students, the ESOS Act 2000 and the National Code 2007.
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Ensure that students and the host employer are aware of WorkCover responsibilities.
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Inform workplace supervisor of their supervision responsibilities.
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Inform students and workplace supervisor of learning outcomes to be assessed on the placement and assessment method.
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Provide support to the student and to the host employer during the placement and respond to any host employer and/or student concerns.
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Monitor completion of assessable tasks.
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Facilitate any evaluation meetings with the student and workplace supervisor.
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Respond to student or host employer grievances according to the University Grievance
Procedure.
Authorised by:
Maintained by:
Page 4 of 4
Warning – Uncontrolled when printed! The current version of this document is kept on the UB website.
Academic Board
Chair, Academic Board
CRICOS Provider Number: 00103D
Original Issue:
Current Version:
Review Date:
14/11/2007
03/11/2010
03/11/2013