CORONAVIRUS —
SCHOOLS — WORKPLACE LEARNING PROGRAMS
514. Hon DONNA FARAGHER to the Minister for Education and
Training:
I refer to workplace learning
programs offered to students in secondary schools.
(1) Will the minister provide an outline of the
current restrictions that apply to the full workplace programs offered?
(2) Will the minister advise when
restrictions for each of these programs are expected to be eased?
(3) Will the minister advise whether any additional
measures have been implemented to ensure year 12 students who are
completing a VET qualification are not disadvantaged as a result of
restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Where it is
critical for students to take part in work placements to complete their
certificate qualifications, those placements can continue. Other programs have
been deferred. The following outlines the restrictions applied to the four
workplace programs, based on the advice of the Chief Health Officer.
School-based traineeships and apprenticeships can proceed but schools must
confirm that employers will provide a COVID-19-safe
work environment consistent with Department of Health guidelines. VET
certificate course work placement is limited to year 12 students and can
proceed only when the training cannot be rescheduled. Schools must ensure a COVID-19-safe
work environment consistent with the Department of Health guidelines. Work
experience has been deferred based on health advice. Structured workplace
learning has been deferred based on health advice.
(2) The decision
to ease current restrictions will be based on health advice and government
deliberations.
(3) Year 12
students will not be disadvantaged. When the work placement component of the
VET course cannot be rescheduled to later in the year, a year 12 student can
undertake it now. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority will apply
special considerations for any student who is unable to complete a work
placement to ensure that achievement of their Western Australian Certificate of
Education will not be impacted.