Ballistic Training Solutions Pty Ltd

Information for Students

What is the User Choice Program?

The User Choice 2021-2024 program provides a public funding contribution towards the cost of training and assessment services for eligible Queensland apprentices and trainees. The program aims to provide funding aligned to the skill needs of industry and respond to changing government priorities.

 

How Does the Program Work?

The program provides the flexibility for apprentices, trainees and their employers to select a preferred registered training organisation (RTO) from a list of pre-qualified suppliers for the delivery of nationally recognised and accredited training to meet their specific needs. The program works in conjunction with the Commonwealth Australian Apprenticeships System, under which apprentices and trainees (also known in some jurisdictions as "Australian Apprentices") enter into legally binding training contracts with their employers and receive structured training to achieve a nationally recognised qualification.

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More information can be found at: https://training.qld.gov.au/providers/funded/userchoice  or call 0733286893.

 

Are there any rules I should be aware of in relation to funding?

Apprentices and trainees can only receive one government contribution for a User Choice funded qualification at any single point in time i.e. a student cannot be funded to undertake two apprenticeships or traineeships at the same time.

 

In addition, apprentices and trainees, can only receive a maximum of two government funding contributions under the current User Choice program. A second qualification will only be funded if it has a higher priority ranking than the first qualification that has been completed.

There are also some other rules specifically related to funding for School based Apprentices and Trainees (SATs), so students and their parents/guardians should discuss their intentions with their school's vocational education and training coordinator prior to signing up as a SAT. For employers, individuals, parents and guardians, the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) is another good source of information. https://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/about-aasn

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Employers and individuals should also note that each qualification has a priority ranking. This priority ranking indicates whether the qualification produces skills which are in shortage across the state.

 

There are also rules in respect to existing workers. Employers and individuals should note that existing workers, irrespective of whether they belong to a Priority Population Group, are only eligible for funding when undertaking Priority One qualifications.

 

 

Is there any other funding available for employers or apprentices and trainees?

There are a variety of incentives and loans available to employers, apprentices and trainees. These include incentives from the Queensland Government, Commonwealth Government and from industry bodies such as Construction Skills Queensland.

More information can be found at: https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/providers/funded

 

Fees

The User Choice 2021–2024 Policy requires Ballistic Training Solutions to collect GST exempt fees as the participant’s contribution to the cost. To meet this requirement Ballistic Training Solutions must provide evidence it has charged and collected and applied any relevant exemptions.

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The rate of student contribution fees is reviewed annually and any increase is often implemented from 1 January each year. Consequently, the Supplier must ensure the student contribution fee is calculated against the correct fee rate as at the commencement of training for each respective unit of competency.

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The current rate for the 2021-2024 User Choice Policy is $1.60 per nominal hour (per unit).

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Is there an employer contribution that I need to pay?

In addition to the student fees, there may be some cases where Ballistic Training Solutions may seek additional charges from an employer for the apprenticeship or traineeship. Any additional charges must be negotiated up-front and disclosed to the employer prior to the enrolment of the apprentice/trainee.

 

Student / Stakeholder Surveys

At Ballistic Training Solutions we actively seek student, client & industry feedback on our courses and our trainers and assessors. We regularly undertake evaluations of all courses and activities as part of our ongoing commitment to industry development and continuous improvement.

 

These evaluations are completed at the end of a training program or traineeship. The feedback and information learners and clients provide will be used to improve future courses and teaching effectiveness.

 

Further links

·       To access the fact sheets for the User Choice Program, please follow this link:

http://www.training.qld.gov.au/training-organisations/funded-programs/user-choice/user-choice-documents.html

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·       To access forms and information for Apprentices and Trainees, please follow this link:

https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/apprentices/resources/information-sheets

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·       To access our other policies and forms, please click here:

http://www.ballistic.edu.au/student-resources

 

If you would like any further information in addition to the above listed policies, procedures, handbook or program details, please feel free to contact us at info@ballistic.edu.au or call us on 1300 738 098