Coaching and supervising apprentices or trainees

Workplace supervisors play a vital role in coaching apprentices or trainees. They provide workplace training and ensure workplace safety. Here's how to meet your training obligations and get the best out of staff.

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Choosing a supervisor

As an employer, you need to appoint a supervisor to support and guide apprentices and trainees in daily work. Recent studies show an effective supervisor can result in learners staying with their training and lead to more productive workplaces.

Qualifications

According to Training Services the supervisors of apprentices or trainees must have appropriate qualifications or experience.

The supervisor of an apprentice must:

be trade qualified in the vocation of the apprenticeship, meaning they
- have a Certificate of Proficiency for that vocation, or
- have qualifications and experience that entitle them to a Certificate of Proficiency for that vocation.
also hold a supervisor licence if the apprenticeship is in a regulated trade.

The supervisor of a trainee must:

be qualified or experienced (at the same or higher level) in the vocation of the traineeship.

Level of supervision

Choose a supervisor who is committed to providing the right level of supervision for an apprentice or trainee. This means someone committed to:

ensuring the health, safety and welfare of the apprentice or trainee
providing meaningful on-the-job training, particularly when undertaking complex and high-risk activities/vocations
monitoring the apprentice or trainee's progress, providing feedback, and answering any questions they may have

See Review your legal obligations (below) for more about what's required for supervisors.

Your role as a supervisor

As a supervisor of an apprentice or trainee you need to:

act as mentor and be a role model
be familiar with the Training Plan and how each unit relates to workplace tasks
give clear and consistent instructions on work tasks
guide and support
monitor and keep records of progress
provide feedback and encouragement
liaise with the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and other relevant parties
release your apprentice or trainee during work hours with pay to attend formal training and assessment.

Read through this page to find out more about what’s required.

Follow these steps

In helping to coach and train your apprentice or trainee:

Explain the task, its purpose and why it's done
Explain all the steps in completing the task
Demonstrate the task and explain how it will be assessed and recorded
Provide sufficient opportunity to practice
Provide encouragement, feedback and assistance to the RTO for assessment if required
Advise the apprentice or trainee of their progress towards achieving the training outcomes.

Get resources

Watch our valuable video series Supervising your apprentice or trainee.
Attend a free How to supervise your apprentice or trainee workshop
Download Supervising your apprentice or trainee - A guide for workplace supervisors
Duty of Care covers some workplace health and safety requirements
Find out the benefits of supporting a diverse workplace
Your Registered Training Organisation may provide information and guidance for your supervisors and team leaders. Or contact Training Services.

Give an induction

Giving a good induction to your apprentice or trainee helps build good workplace relationships. It also gives them a clear understanding of what’s expected of them. A good induction includes:

an overview of the business
the role of the apprentice/trainee in the organisation
expectations of all parties
occupational health and safety issues relevant to the worksite
the proposed training plan
the responsibilities and obligations under the training contract
administrative procedures
basic work rules, work conditions and provisions under the award or industrial instrument
an introduction to key personnel
who to go to if there is a problem.

Gather evidence for assessment

A key role you have as a supervisor is to gather evidence on the apprentice or trainee’s ability to do the job. You won’t need to formally assess an apprentice or trainee. That’s the job of the Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

But you do need to collect and provide evidence on the apprentice's or trainee’s skills and knowledge as instructed by the RTO. See Training Plan for details.

The RTO will then assess the apprentice or trainee. They compare the evidence you provide to a set of industry-based standards as part of the assessment process.

Reassess the apprentice or trainee on a regular basis. Take into account the stage the apprenticeship/traineeship is at. Also consider the experience and training they’ve received in a particular task.

Keep essential records

As the workplace supervisor keep track of these documents:

records of on-the-job experience and workplace competence, as agreed with RTO
results of any on-the-job training undertaken with the RTO
copy of the full Training Plan prepared and regularly updated by the RTO
copy of the training contract and letter from Training Services approving it
records of time worked and wages paid
copy of the industrial award or agreement under which the learner is employed.

Laise regularly with the RTO and if required keep:

a competency record book for trainees and some apprentices
an attendance card which your Registered Training Organisation (RTO) may provide to confirm regular attendance at formal training.

Review your legal obligations

Always check with your ANP if you’re unsure about legal requirements for supervisors in your trade or industry. Minimum requirements may be set by:

industrial awards or agreements
Safework NSW
industry-specific regulations or licensing arrangements.

Documents covering an employer’s legal responsibilities for supervising apprentices and trainees in the workplace include:

The Training Contract clearly shows an employer must provide appropriate facilities and experienced people to train and supervise apprentice or trainees at work.
Duty of Care covers some workplace health and safety requirements
Vocational Training Orders show what training is required to achieve competencies outlined in training packages or programs.
Section 13 of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 obliges the employer to ensure an apprentice or trainee is given appropriate on-the-job training and supervision to gain the vocation’s skills and to work in a safe manner.
Section 39 of the NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, established under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, provides that employers must ensure that information, training and instruction provided to a worker is suitable and adequate in regard to the nature of the work and the risks associated with the work.