Work Experience Placement programme

Work experience is a great opportunity to see how someone operates in a working environment. It also provides job seekers with the opportunity to improve their work skills, and to be able to demonstrate what they have to offer to a potential host organisation.

Work Experience Placements can be between 5 days and a maximum 8 weeks long.

You will not be required to pay someone who participates in the Australian Government’s Work Experience Placement programme. However, if you decide to employ a person who participates in work experience, you may simply end the Work Experience Placement, and then enter into an employment relationship with them.

You are responsible for the participant’s safety, and you must comply with occupational health and safety laws.

The Government will provide personal accident and combined public and products liability insurance, which will operate while participants are undertaking the work experience.

As host organisations, you know that work experience is not free labour. There are many benefits of work experience for your organisation and for participants. You have the chance to try somebody out before hiring them, and they have an opportunity to gain experience, learn new skills, and show how they can be a valuable potential employee for you.
Source : http://www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Programmes/WorkExperiencePlacementprogramme.htm


Many Consultants are aware of the existence and application of the "Work Experience Placement programme", however, the period of 5 days to 8 weeks placement is rarely encouraged or facilitated when considering the needs and motivation of both candidate and employer. Suggested periods of Work Experience is between 1 to 3 days maximum. This suggestion is pursued when a vacancy actually exists and there is a likelihood of an offer of employment at the end of the placement.

Employer Subsidy

Many employers are not aware of subsidies that have been made available to them through government programs.

These subsidies are set up to assist employers with training a new staff member and encourage employment of Centrelink registered clients.

Additional assistance to employers include the provision of candidates for a limited work trial period of which the insurance for the trial period is covered. The employer is given the opportunity of trialing the candidate to determine suitability, prior to the offer of employment. see Work Experience blog