Careers experts discuss SBAT benefits video

Jazmine (host):

So do either of you have any stories that you could share about students that have done an SBAT before?

Suzanne:

Yes, I went out to a signup meeting and that's where a student commences their school-based apprenticeship, and the names were familiar. And I thought, "ooh". The student that was being signed up was being employed by an ex school-based apprentice as well. So, yeah. So it's a fabulous story of paying the ex school-based apprentice paying forward, own their own salon, and now they have the opportunity to employ their own school based apprenticeship. So...

Jazmine:

Oh, that's exciting. And how did these students find juggling school and doing the SBAT?

Suzanne:

Okay. Well, they've got a have good time management skills and it's got to be something they're passionate about, that they want to do. So a student will generally go to school three days a week, work one day a week, and TAFE or another training organisation for the other day, in general. Students will do a course called, "Industry Based Learning". And "Industry Based Learning" allows them to alleviate their loads, so it helps them balance because that's a subject that they're not sitting in a class for. And if you like doing something, it's not that big a challenge, I feel.

Jazmine:

It sounds like the schools are really supportive of students that want to take up an SBAT, and so Olga, can you tell us a little bit about that? How schools support these students?

Olga :

Definitely. So I think it's really important just to highlight that the student actually has a whole team around them. So mum and dad's on board, sometimes older siblings, there'll be several teachers that will be supporting the student. And obviously you would have a TAFE teacher and an employer supporting that student all throughout the SBAT. You know, simple things like getting a student to a train station, making sure they have a packed lunch, or if a student has decided to change their day of work, they've got to let someone know. So it takes a whole team-

Jazmine:

Yeah.

Olga :

... to really support a student and make sure that they get through. It can be a shock because they're juggling, you know, school, vocational learning and a real life job, and then trying to also remember that they're teenagers and fitting in a social life, it can get pretty hectic.

Jazmine:

You mentioned that a lot of parents do support their kids that are taking off an SBAT. How important do you think that is for parents to be supporting them in this?

Olga :

I think it's really quite important. Although they're transitioning into adulthood and it's important for, I guess, for teenagers to develop some self responsibility and independence, but sometimes they do need mum or dad to make sure that their clothes are ready for work or that they've got, especially for students working on a construction site, that they've got something to eat. Often students would turn up and think that there would be a van or a canteen or just have money in their pocket and not realising that they've got a long day of work ahead of them that they need a water bottle and a packed lunch. So the little things do count.

Jazmine:

Absolutely.

Olga :

Yeah.

Suzanne:

And it's more about guidance. So you're not getting mum or dad to do everything for them, but they're supporting them and helping them, you know, make sure that they're ready for work that next day and ready to catch up on their schoolwork.

Jazmine:

Absolutely.

Suzanne:

Yeah.

Jazmine:

Well, thanks for the insight. I really appreciate you both joining me.

Suzanne:

Thank you.

Olga :

All good.

End of transcript.