The Victorian Chamber welcomes the expansion of the program, which gives students an opportunity to complete an apprenticeship or traineeship while finishing school, providing more than 150 pathways while backing in-demand industries with more job ready workers.

Completed alongside a VCE, VCE Vocational Major or Victorian Pathways Certificate, the initiative offers students paid on-the-job training while aligning them with employers across industries such community services, early childhood education, health, digital media and technologies, hospitality and engineering.

Before their apprenticeship or traineeship formally begins, students complete a work trial to make sure they, their parents, their school, and the employer are confident the placement is well matched.

Dependent on employer and student needs, contact hours can be increased as a student progresses through school, with one day in year 10 and up to three days in year 12.

Head Start was first trialled in 2018 and has since engaged more than 2,500 students at 12 hubs across the State, with more than 1,500 employers taking part in the program.

The Victorian Budget 2022/23 invested $69.4 million over four years to expand Head Start to all government secondary schools in Victoria by the end of 2023.

More information for students, schools and employers is available at vic.gov.au/head-start-apprenticeships-and-traineeships.

Victorian Chamber advocacy

The expansion aligns with the Victorian Chamber’s calls for action to improve youth employment outcomes while addressing labour shortages in Victoria. This includes ensuring that every Victorian young person aged 16-25 is in meaningful employment, training (e.g., apprenticeship, traineeship) or further education within four months of graduating from high school, TAFE or university, or becoming unemployed.

The Chamber’s recommendations have included implementing a careers strategy in primary and secondary school curriculum to equip students with the knowledge and tools to make informed skilling and career choices and providing targeted employer support and training to increase apprenticeship completion.

Apprenticeship Support Australia

Apprenticeship Support Australia (ASA) delivers skills development advice and solutions to employers and jobseekers across the country. The Victorian Chamber delivers ASA services in Victoria. Since 1998, we have partnered with more than 70,000 businesses and signed up more than 200,000 apprentices and trainees through our Australian Apprenticeship Centre.

Contact us here for expert guidance about employing or becoming an apprentice or trainee.