Employer resource assessment guidelines

When you develop a training plan for an apprentice or trainee, you must also complete an employer resource assessment (ERA), or update any applicable existing ERA.

The ERA helps you check that the employer is able to provide the required facilities, range of work and supervision for their apprentice or trainee to develop the on-the-job knowledge and skills required to support the units of competency listed in their training plan.

ERAs, like training plans and training records, are living documents, so they must be regularly reviewed, and updated if necessary.

• Learn how to complete the ERA.
• Read the Guide for supervising registered training organisations to completing the ERA.
• Find out more about adequate training arrangements for apprentices and trainees.

Responsibilities

As the supervising registered training organisation (SRTO), you are responsible for:

• completing an ERA where one doesn't exist in the workplace in the same qualification, or updating the ERA where there is an existing one – learn when to complete an ERA
• ensuring the apprentice or trainee and employer understand the relationship between workplace tasks to be performed throughout the apprenticeship or traineeship, and units of competency to be achieved under the training plan
• using the ERA to document any resourcing gaps and alternative arrangements (see below)
• regularly reviewing and updating the ERA, at least every 3 months, to ensure the employer continues to provide the required training resources to enable the apprentice or trainee to progress through the apprenticeship or traineeship – learn when to review or update the ERA
• reporting to us, via Apprenticeships Info, if:
  • a training contract can't continue because an employer is unable to provide, or arrange to provide the required training resources, and can't or won't agree to alternative arrangements
  • the apprentice or trainee is not making progress and the issues preventing progression can't be resolved
  • the qualified supervisor leaves the workplace and there is no replacement.

ERAs and information relating to any contact with the employer to complete or update the ERA must be retained by the SRTO for review by us if required.

Resourcing gaps and alternatives

If you find a gap in the workplace's ability to meet the facilities, range of work and supervision requirements for the apprenticeship or traineeship, you can suggest alternatives such as:

• amending the training contract to a qualification more suited to the workplace. For example, a workplace which provides work tasks aligned to appliance repair has signed up an apprentice in Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician. When assessing the workplace, the SRTO identifies that while the workplace is not suited to the Certificate III electrical apprenticeship, the workplace can support a Certificate III in Appliance Service
• temporary transfer – apprentice or trainee changes to another employer for some of their training contract (maximum period of 1 year)
• permanent transfer – apprentice or trainee changes to a new employer for the rest of the training contract
• simulated workplace training and assessment, if possible, for the unit of competency
• using a group training organisation (GTO) – apprentice or trainee can be assigned to 1 or more 'host employers' throughout their training contract.

When resourcing gaps for competency units are identified, the SRTO must identify these in the training plan and provide details in the ERA of how training and assessment for those units will be conducted.

Supervision

The employer must have a qualified supervisor in the same workplace for predominately the same working hours as the apprentice or trainee. This person must be in place when the training contract is signed.

Read the definition of a qualified supervisor in Table 15 of the Declaration of apprenticeships and traineeships in Queensland policy.

Compliance under the Further Education and Training Act 2014

Compliance with legislative requirements by the SRTO and employer is imperative to achieve a successful apprenticeship or traineeship outcome.

The following do not cover all legislative requirements for the SRTO or employer under the Act – only those related to capacity of the workplace to support the apprenticeship or traineeship arrangement and monitoring of the progression of the apprentice or trainee:

• Section 56: Employer to provide supervision, facilities and training
• Section 57: Employer not to prevent participation in training
• Section 58: Employer to report notifiable events
• Section 66A: Supervising registered training organisation must complete employer resource assessment
• Section 67: Availability of facilities
• Section 68: Supervising registered training organisation to ensure delivery of training
• Section 69: Supervising registered training organisation to notify chief executive if progress not made under training plan.

Note: Under the Act, the chief executive delegates authority to department officers.

If legislative requirements are not met, we can impose a range of penalties on the SRTO or employer under the Act.

If the SRTO has a departmental funding agreement, we may apply sanctions to that agreement. We may also refer issues to the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) if appropriate.