User Choice Funding Policy and Procedure

 

OVERVIEW

Status

Needs review

Classification*

INTERNAL

Department

WP

Review

Mar 11, 2024

Notes

 

*See Information classification policy


PUBLIC-FACING

User Choice Information

Eligibility

To be eligible to receive a government contribution, the apprentice or trainee must:

  • Have entered into a Training Contract for a qualification that is funded by the department

  • Be registered on DELTA with a commencement date or recommencement date on or after 1 July 2010

  • Select a training provider that holds PQS status for their nominated qualification.

The government contribution will be detailed in the apprentice or trainee’s Letter of Registration from the department, and is subject to student eligibility and their selection of an eligible PQS as their SRTO. Payment of funding is subject to the conditions set out in the VET Pre-qualified Supplier Agreement.

Important

  • An apprentice or trainee can only receive one government contribution for a User Choice funded qualification at any single point in time

  • A maximum of two government contributions will be funded per participant under the User Choice 2021–24 program

  • A second government contribution is approved for participants who have previously commenced and completed one funded qualification under the User Choice 2010–16 program or User Choice 2016–17 program or User Choice 2017–20 program, User Choice 2020–21 program, or User Choice 2021–24 program and the second qualification is:

    • A priority one qualification

    • A higher priority than the first qualification

    • Undertaken subsequent to a student completing a qualification under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.

  • Qualifications which do not contribute to the government contribution count are:

    • Qualifications funded outside of the User Choice 2010–16, 2016–17, 2017–20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 program

    • User Choice funded qualifications which commenced but were not completed

    • User Choice funded qualifications undertaken as part of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work – Work Skills Traineeships program

    • User Choice funded qualifications undertaken as part of the Group Training Organisation Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

Fees and Charges

Co-contribution Fees

Strategix must collect a student contribution fee, it may be paid on behalf of the student by their employer or a third party unrelated to the Strategix, but cannot be paid or waived by Strategix, unless approved in writing by the department.

Invoices for students will be generated and sent to the Client after Student/s are approved for funding. The payment amounts consist of the compulsory Student Contribution Fees.

Students will not be changed for Individual Subjects which are Credit Transferred, or Transitional Gap trained.

When a student converts from a school-based trainee to a full-time or part-time traineeship, the student contribution fees will be charged for training and assessment for any units of competency not yet commenced. This does not apply when the student is under 21 and is undertaking a high priority qualification as identified by the department (refer to Priority Apprenticeship and Traineeship Qualifications section).

Student Fees - Year

Price per Nominal Hour

2017 - 2024 Student Fees

$1.60 per Nominal Hour

Qual Code

Qual Name

Maximum Nominal Hours

FBP20122

Certificate II in Food Processing

440 hrs

TLI30321

Certificate III in Supply Chain Operations

425 hrs

CHC30121

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

1108 hrs

CHC33021

Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)*

975 hrs

CHC33021

Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)*

925 hrs

CHC32015

Certificate III in Community Services

448 hrs

CHC40421

Certificate IV in Youth Work

960 hrs

BSB30120

Certificate III in Business

490 hrs

TLI31222

Certificate III Driving Operations

420 hrs

*Students require a federal police check to complete Individual Support. Students are not required to pay the fee for the check.

Fee Exemptions

Partial Exemption - Tuition Fees

Strategix will only charge 40 percent of the student contribution fee where the participant falls into one or more of the following exemption categories:

  1. The participant is not at school, has not completed year 12 and was or will be under 17 years of age at the end of February in the year in which Strategix provides training

  2. The participant holds a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card issued under Commonwealth law, or is the partner or a dependant of a person who holds a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, and is named on the card

  3. The participant issues Strategix with an official form under Commonwealth law confirming that the participant, his or her partner or the person of whom the participant is a dependant, is entitled to concessions under a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card

  4. The participant is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.

Full Exemption — Tuition Fees

Only trainees who fall under one of the following circumstances can a student receive a full exemption of student contribution fees for the entire qualification.

Financial Hardship

Where evidence indicates payment of the student contribution fee would cause the trainee extreme financial hardship. Strategix has process’ in place in order to explore further payment options to lessen the impact of a payment prior to applying for a fee exemption. Applications for financial hardship and relevant supporting documentation will be gathered and assessed on an individual basis.

School-Based

All School-based traineeships receive a full exemption for student contribution fees.

Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s

The Free apprenticeships for under 25s initiative will cover the cost of training for Queensland apprentices or trainees who commenced or are undertaking one of Priority Apprenticeship and Traineeship Qualifications (see below) from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2024.

Priority Apprenticeship and Traineeship Qualifications

Qual Code

Qualification Name

CHC30121

Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

CHC33021

Certificate III in Individual Support

Traineeship Cancellation

Strategix must be notified of all cancellations using the QLD cancellation form. The cancellation date is the date the trainee ceased employment with the company. For direction around the cancellation process refer to Strategix's Withdrawal and Cancellation Information.

 


POLICY

User Choice Policy

 

Funding

Students identified as belonging to a priority population group (PPG) undertaking a Priority Two or Priority Three qualification will receive 100 per cent of the government contribution (i.e. Strategix will receive the full funding available for this student). PPGs must be recorded on the Apprenticeship/Traineeship Training Contract and include:

  • Individuals of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin

  • Individuals from a non-English speaking background

  • Individuals with disability, impairment or long-term condition.

Issuing Certificates

As per the User Choice Policy 2021-2024, Strategix cannot withhold a certificate or statement of attainment due to non-payment of fees.

School-based Traineeships

Many school-based apprenticeships or traineeships (SATs) may not be completed before the student graduates from secondary school. If this occurs, the training contract will remain active; however, the employment mode will change to part-time or full-time. The amendment of the employment mode will depend on whether an ATF-035 Amendment of a registered training contract form was submitted to the Department. Unless this form is submitted, all active registered training contracts with an employment mode of SAT will be automatically converted to full-time, with an effective date of 19 November 2022. 

As detailed in the FET Act 2014, when a training contract is converted, you as the Supervising Registered Training Organisation (SRTO) must review the training plan and make the necessary adjustments within 28 days of the change to the employment mode taking effect.  This is to ensure that the apprentice/trainee continues to progress through the qualification and that all parties to the training contract are fulfilling their obligations.  


QLD User Choice Funding Procedure

 

To assess students’ eligibility for QLD User Choice, follow the steps below until you either reach an Enrol or Not Eligible outcome. Evidence must be retained as per the Evidence Requirements listed in this procedure.

Criteria

Yes

No

Criteria

Yes

No

Does the student have a previous qualification? To check this you must perform an AISS Search and obtain the previous education history of the student

Continue to 2

Enrol

Was the qualification completed prior to 2010?

Enrol

Continue to 3

Was the course a traineeship?

Continue to 4

Enrol

Did the traineeship access User Choice Funding? To check follow the steps under User Choice Funding Check

Continue to 5

Enrol

Has the student accessed User Choice on two (2) previous occasions?

(excluding incomplete qualifications, Skilling Queenslanders for Work - Work Skills Traineeships program or the Group Training Organisation Pre-Apprenticeship Program).

Not Eligible

Continue to 6

Was the priority level* of the completed qualification lower than the proposed qualification? Note: A student may access two (2) Priority 1 courses.

Enrol

Not Eligible

*Qualification Priority Levels are found on QTIS.

User Choice Funding Check

Eligibility is determined by doing the following checks:

  1. Perform the AISS check using Partner Portal:

    1. AISS check results: There are two (2) sections to an AISS Check Apprenticeship Details and Student Search Details.

  2. Interpret data:

Section

Identifies

Section

Identifies

Apprenticeship Search Details

This includes details of students who have had a registered training contract Traineeships.

Contract

Each apprenticeship/traineeship has outcomes attached (either Withdrawn, In Progress, Completed etc)

Funded

This indicates whether the apprenticeship/traineeship was funded or not (a Y indicates it was funded)

Student Search Details

 

Evidence Requirements

Student-Based Documents

Evidence

Required

Requirements

Evidence

Required

Requirements

Concession

Yes

Concession evidence in not required for SATs as they do not pay fees, however, is required for general trainees to determine the fee charged.

For a concession card you must obtain both sides.

Proof of age

See Requirements

Proof of age is only required where it affects fees/fund source code, e.g. claiming concession as <17 & free apprenticeships/ traineeships for <21.

Qld residence/address

Yes

AASN

Australian permanent resident or citizen

Yes

AASN

U18 parental consent form

Yes

For SATs, but only if considered appropriate e.g. not required if the student lives independently.

AISS search result

Yes

Yes, for initial identification of credit transfer and also required for the use of the fund source code and no fees for SAT.

SRTO form

Yes

Required to be signed and verified by the course coordinator.

Training Plan

Yes

Yes

Evidence of school enrolment (SAT)

See Requirements

Yes for SATs

Company Based Documents

Evidence

Required

Requirements

Evidence

Required

Requirements

Employer Resource Assessment

Y

 

Resource and Facilities Checklist

Y

 

Supervisor Suitability

Y

 

Service Agreement

Y

 

 


Authority

  • List here

See Funding

Regulatory Documents

  • List here

List the Contract, audit evidence requirements, standards etc. and the applicable section or clause from each document

Approved By

Name here

Details / Decisions:


  • Required Documents

    • Supervising Registered Training Organisation (SRTO) Notification (Approval from the Australian Apprentice Support Network)

    • Enrolment Form

    • Training Plan (completed with employer and Strategix)

    • ERA, RFC (completed by employer and Strategix).


 

 

 

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