A School-Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship (often called an SBAT) lets you start an apprenticeship while you're still finishing high school. You combine your normal schooling with paid work and formal training, so you leave school with a head start on a trade instead of starting from scratch afterwards. For a lot of students who already know they want to work in the trades, it's one of the smartest moves you can make.
This guide explains how SBATs work, what's in it for you, and what to think about before signing up. If you're in Years 10, 11 or 12 and keen on a trade, this is well worth a read.
What a school-based apprenticeship is
An SBAT is a real apprenticeship (or traineeship) undertaken while you're still enrolled at school. You sign a training contract, just like a full-time apprentice, and it's registered through the Australian Apprenticeships system (apprenticeships.gov.au) with your state or territory training authority.
The difference is that you split your week between school, paid work with an employer, and formal training at TAFE or another RTO. You get a wage for the hours you work, and the training you complete counts towards both your senior secondary certificate and your trade qualification.
Every state and territory runs SBATs slightly differently, so the exact rules, minimum work hours and how it fits with your school timetable depend on where you live. Your school's VET or careers coordinator is the best first point of contact.
How your week actually works
There's no single set-up, but a typical SBAT arrangement might look like:
- Some days at school doing your normal subjects.
- One or more days each week (or blocks during holidays) working for your employer and getting paid.
- Formal training at TAFE or an RTO, sometimes on a set day or in blocks.
The work you do counts towards completing your apprenticeship, and the credits count towards your Year 12 certificate. It takes coordination between you, your school, your employer and the training provider, but schools that offer SBATs are used to making it work.
What's in it for you
SBATs offer some genuine advantages over waiting until after school to start a trade.
- A head start: You begin racking up on-the-job hours and training while still at school, so you can be well into (or even close to finishing) an apprenticeship not long after Year 12.
- You get paid: Unlike work experience, an SBAT is paid employment under the relevant award. Check how apprentice pay works on the Wage Calculator.
- You test the trade for real: You find out whether the trade actually suits you before committing full-time. Read how to choose the right trade.
- It counts towards Year 12: Your training contributes to your senior certificate, so you're not choosing between school and a trade — you're doing both.
- You build a reputation early: Employers who take on an SBAT student often offer them a full-time apprenticeship after school. Read building a reputation that follows you.
What to think about before you commit
An SBAT is a bigger commitment than work experience, so go in with your eyes open.
- Time and energy: You're juggling school, work and training. That's a lot on your plate, and it takes organisation and reliability.
- Impact on your studies: Make sure it fits with your subjects and any university plans. Talk it through with your careers coordinator.
- You're a real employee: That means turning up, working safely and behaving professionally. Read what to expect in your first month and site etiquette every apprentice should know.
- Getting to work: Think about transport. A driver's licence helps, but plenty of students manage with public transport or lifts.
Your pay and rights
As an SBAT you're a paid employee, so you're covered by workplace laws just like any apprentice. Your wage is set by the relevant modern award based on your year and hours, and you're entitled to superannuation and the protections overseen by the Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au).
- Understand your entitlements — read your rights as an apprentice and award wages.
- As a young worker, safety is especially important — read young workers and workplace safety rights.
- You'll likely need a White Card for construction work — see the White Card guide.
How to get started
Getting into an SBAT takes a bit of organising, but the path is well worn.
- Talk to your school first: Your VET or careers coordinator knows what's available in your state and can help set it up.
- Find an employer: You need a business willing to take you on. Your school may have contacts, or you can approach local businesses yourself. Browse apprenticeship jobs and create a free profile to help employers find you.
- Consider a Group Training Organisation: GTOs sometimes place school-based apprentices with host employers — read how Group Training Organisations work.
- Sort the paperwork: An Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) provider helps register your training contract.
Make the most of it
Once you're in, treat it seriously. The whole point is to build skills and a reputation that lead to a full-time apprenticeship. Turn up on time, listen more than you talk early on, and show you're keen to learn.
- Read what employers notice during your first week.
- Learn when to ask questions and when to listen.
- Be the kind of apprentice a boss wants to keep — see what makes an apprentice worth keeping.
Key takeaways
- An SBAT is a real, paid apprenticeship you start while still at high school, counting towards both Year 12 and your trade qualification.
- You split your week between school, paid work and TAFE training, with rules that vary by state.
- It's a genuine head start — many students get offered a full-time apprenticeship by their SBAT employer after school.
- You're a real employee with award pay and Fair Work protections — check them via the Wage Calculator.
- Start by talking to your school's careers coordinator, then browse apprenticeship jobs and create a free profile.