Why You Should Consider a Traineeship When Offering Career Advice to Your Teen

Why You Should Consider a Traineeship When Offering Career Advice to Your Teen

Why You Should Consider a Traineeship When Offering Career Advice to Your Teen

Helping your teen plan for their future and choose the right education or training program for them is no easy business, especially if they don’t know what they want to do after high school.

Often university is the first thing that springs to mind, but not all teens are classroom learners and different careers require different programs to help you achieve career success.

Knowing what the different programs are is especially important when providing career guidance.

So, we want to talk to you about traineeships.

A traineeship is a paid, employment and education training program that gives young people a nationally recognised qualification. They are usually full-time but can also be part-time or school-based. Watch this video below to learn more.

Traineeships don’t get the credit they deserve and there are many myths about Vocational Education and Training (VET).  The truth is, with a traineeship your teen can reach career success in an industry they love!

At AFL SportsReady we have thousands of former trainees who are now working in unbelievable roles .

So, if you’re helping your teen decide what the right career pathway is for them after high school, here are 5 reasons why a traineeship should be seriously considered as an option.

  1. YOU GET PAID

With a traineeship, there are no university fees and no HECS debts. Young people are paid the national training wage while they complete their training which can help them save for their future.

Some of our trainees have saved up for houses and cars while completing their traineeship.

  1. RECEIVE ON-THE-JOB EXPERIENCE

These days experience is everything.

With a traineeship, young people gain valuable work experience giving them an in-depth understanding of a work environment. A traineeship provides a solid insight into the industry they are working in (giving them an opportunity to see if it is the right industry for them), and gives them an opportunity to develop their level of maturity, self-confidence, independence, motivation; and of course, increases their chance of getting a job in the future.

Also, everyone learns differently and working on the job could be the way your teen learns the best.

  1. GAIN A QUALIFICATION

A traineeship is not just practical, there is theory behind it as well.

Trainees study for a Nationally Recognised qualification while they complete their work placement.

By studying a qualification, trainees can apply their knowledge as they practice, allowing them to reinforce their learnings, which helps to develop their skills and confidence.

Completing a traineeship can also lead to university. AFL SportsReady has partnered with some of Australia’s top universities and depending on the qualification a trainee undertakes; they can gain direct entry and even course credits upon completion of their traineeship.

  1. MAKE INDUSTRY NETWORKS

It’s often said, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know, and a trainee gets to build a network of key industry contacts that will benefit them in their career.

We have seen many trainees progress in their careers and get jobs at top companies because of someone they connected with in their traineeship.

Experts agree that the most connected people are often the most successful.

  1. GET SUPPORTED

Unlike a university degree, all trainees are supported by dedicated AFL SportsReady staff members (Field Officers and Educators).

A DEDICATED FIELD OFFICER supports the trainee for the duration of the traineeship and an educator delivers the accredited training and provides support to the trainee. Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees are also paired with a First Nations Mentor, someone who visits the trainees at their place of employment, supports them in the workplace and provides a valuable bridge between their workplace, community and culture.

So, what does all this mean? It means that everything gained in a traineeship can give your teen a head-start in their career.  It will make them more employable and their chance at reaching career success is accelerated.

The fact is university isn’t the only post-school pathway option. Some teens don’t want to go straight into more study after finishing school and decide to take a gap year and travel. This might not be an option for them right now given the challenges of COVID.

This why it is important to help your teen understand the options available when deciding on a career path and while university is an amazing pathway it might not be the right one for your teen right now.


WHAT ARE TRAINEESHIPS?

Traineeships are paid, employment and education training programs that give you a nationally recognised qualification.


View current Traineeship availability and apply at the Jobs Board.
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This series includes current and former trainees demonstrating the benefits of the traineeship program and how this pathway allows them to follow their passions.

This article is part of our partnership with the National Careers Institute (NCI) to highlight the real benefits of Vocational Education and Training (VET)