The jobs in which workers get paid to learn while in training

Jobseekers do not have to do an apprenticeship to be paid while they learn the skills for a job, with another training path offering many types of work.

Traineeships have moved far beyond the realms of business administration, with more than 700 qualifications on offer in sectors experiencing high demand.

WPC Group general manager Andrew Sezonov says traineeships now offer “really cool opportunities’’ in a broad range of areas, including IT, land conservation, maritime, nursing and aquaculture.

“There’s even traineeships for embalmers in a funeral home, if you are interested in going down that path,’’ says Sezonov.

“Traineeships are in areas where industry is experiencing significant jobs growth.

“They’re for people that would normally have to go off to uni but don’t actually want to study at uni.

“Instead, for one or two years they can actually get paid to learn and get practical experience in those areas experiencing high demand.’’

Workers can get paid while they are learning the job via a traineeship.

Traineeships were initially included within Australia’s apprenticeship model in recognition of the need to train workers in non-trade occupations, particularly business administration.

Like an apprenticeship, traineeships combine workplace learning with formal qualifications, ranging from a certificate II to an advanced diploma.

However, they are much quicker to complete – taking as little as a year, compared to a four-year apprenticeship.

Sezonov says while business traineeships are still popular, a lack of understanding about other traineeships – as well as the benefits they offer – means many potential candidates are missing out on what can be an extremely rewarding career path.

Ai Group Apprentice and Trainee Centre employment and training consultant Gary Simpson says on-the-job training gives trainees a competitive edge over their university counterparts.

“If I was an engineer, you would expect me to have gone to uni but that’s not the case – we’ve got people who have done a certificate III in engineering, specialising as a marine engine driver, who already have their sea time,’’ he says.

Sophia Laczko, Blake Harding and Harry Gardner completed traineeships with Ai Group Apprentice and Trainee Centre, with on-the-job experience provided by SeaLink Travel Group.

“That (experience) is the big thing (that sets trainees apart) – you can say you’ve got a qualification as an engineer but it means absolutely nothing unless you’ve got the practical experience.’’

Simpson says traineeships are a valuable pathway to employment in their own right but they can also be used as a stepping stone to an apprenticeship or higher-level qualification.

Sophia Laczko did a hospitality traineeship on board the Kangaroo Island ferry SeaLink, which required her to also complete marine qualifications, such as shipboard safety.

She has since been offered a job on board the Murray Princess, which is also operated by the SeaLink Travel Group.

The 22-year-old says even if she is forced to find work in another sector, her training will not be in vain.

“A lot of industries love people with hospitality qualifications because it comes with a lot of customer service experience, which is really good,’’ Laczko says.

“Working on a ferry, which is such a unique environment, is a real plus for me as well.’’

Originally published as The jobs in which workers get paid to learn while in training