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Work placements
In a work placement, jobseekers are paid to work on public works and community and environmental projects. By helping them get back into the routine of work, restore their self-esteem and practise new skills, work placements improve their chances of finding full-time work.
On this page:
Projects
Work placement projects:
- must benefit the broader community
- should address identified local skills shortages
- should lead to further employment opportunities.
Examples of projects are:
- establishing visitor information centres
- restoring degraded beaches, river banks and foreshores
- clearing weed infestations
- improving public spaces
- developing websites
- producing videos
Eligible organisations can submit an application to deliver a range of work placement projects over a defined period. These may be separate projects in an identified area, or they may be linked in some way. The need for a project may be determined in response to an identified regional priority for employment assistance.
Participating organisations
Organisations offering work placements are the 'employer' and the funds provided are primarily for meeting the costs of participants’ wages. Partnerships between eligible organisations, particularly those within a local community, are encouraged.
Participating organisations must ensure that:
- work placement participants do not displace existing employees
- they engage a qualified supervisor to oversee the work done by participants and to assess their skills against identified tasks. The supervisor must be a dedicated resource and if existing staff are employed as supervisors they must be formally released from their normal duties.
- individual work placement projects are 13–26 weeks duration (fulltime equivalent). Part-time work placements are also available.
Pay and conditions
Participants are paid wages according to the Employees’ Conditions Order (PDF, 30 kB) and receive superannuation benefits in line with the requirements of the Australian Tax Office.
They are paid under the State Training Wage Award, which specifies three pay levels A, B and C depending on the work undertaken during the placement.
Contact your local DEIR regional office on 1300 369 925 for wage level determinations.
WorkCover
Employers must ensure that employees have the appropriate workers compensation coverage.
Employers who:
- self-insure for workers compensation, will have to cover work placement employees under their existing arrangements as WorkCover is unable to issue a separate policy.
- hold current WorkCover policies will be covered under their existing policy with the following premium arrangements to apply:
- If there is a separate policy for work placement employees, all wages paid to them will be assessed at twice the relevant WorkCover Industry Classification (WIC) rate for that policy. These rates are determined by the employer’s business or industry rather than the occupation of workers engaged. These premiums will not be subject to experience- based rating.
- If there is not a separate policy for work placement employees, wages paid to them will form part of the wages declared under the policy. Premiums for these policies will be subject to experience-based rating.
For further information, contact WorkCover Queensland on the Customer Service Hotline 1300 362 128.
Compulsory training
Participants must complete compulsory training modules and appropriate elective modules from the Work Placements Course of Instruction (PDF, 86 KB).
Each participant will receive a copy of the Training Plan for the particular project they are working on, detailing what outcomes they are required to achieve, and how they will be assessed.
If the project will be assessed by a Workplace Assessor, employers must complete a Training Record Book
When the project is completed, the Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation will present participants with a certificate of completion.
Further information
For further information, contact your local DEEDI regional office on 1300 369 925.