Applying for a traineeship at 16?

[Layla_]

Hey all, I'm turning 16 this week, and would like to enrol in a traineeship at the start of next year.. I've researched, and found that you had to/was preferred that you were atleast 18 years of age. I'll be in grade 11 next year and have already chosen my subjects. I know for a fact that I am dedicated and passionate about being a childcare worker, however, the subjects have absolutely nothing to do with it at all! I was thinking about dropping out and going into TAFE if I wasn't eligible to commence a traineeship. If I was eligible to start training, then I would be more than capable of having a full-time job.
Honestly, I have no interests in remaining in school, and would 100% love to start my career! Would anybody allow a 16 year old to start training in their department? I'm thinking of calling up sometime this week and ask. If I'm too young, I will be absolutely heartbroken and would definitely have to stay in school, which I would hate!. .-.

[Thomo98]

if you go to partner and training (if they have it where you are) they will take you into the community cert 3 so that you will start from the bottom and then you will do placement but that is however many times a week you want to do it to get your hours up , the problem is that you wont get paid for your placement in the community one. you wont get hired by any place if you do not have your certificate 3 in early childhood education

[Layla_]

I've never heard of, nor cannot find partners and training in my area. I was looking at TAFE courses in the cert 3 early educational and care, though, it states that those under the age of 17 will have special enrolment conditions. I will be contacting them to find out if I will be able to start a course, as I have parental permission also, it shouldn't be too hard, right?

[Thomo98]

it shouldn't be to hard to go through all the applications. the course does have easy things in it, as I know because I went through the cert 3 course this year

[Lorina]

As per the National Regulations:

Educators who are under 18 to be supervised

The approved provider of a centre-based service must ensure that any educator at the service who is under 18 years of age—

(a) does not work alone at the service; and
(b) is adequately supervised at all times by an educator who has attained the age of 18 years.

Generally some centres might prefer you to be 18 years old and over to start a traineeship. This is because when doing a traineeship in childcare you are typically counted in the child:staff ratios. You have to be at least 18 years old to be a primary contact staff for children. However a person under the age of 18 can be employed under the child care traineeship but cannot be counted in the child:staff ratios or as a primary contact. In my experience child care centres prefers to employ childcare trainees of at least 18 years old.

I found some further information on Childcare Traineeship that might help you, the link is:
Childcare Traineeship

Hope this helps!

,
Lorina

[Lorina]

QR_BBPOST I know for a fact that I am dedicated and passionate about being a childcare worker, however, the subjects have absolutely nothing to do with it at all!

I had no intention of working in childcare although I had always loved being with children but somehow it just kind of happened. My school even had a cert 3 childcare course in yr 11 which I had the option to take but instead I did tourism. All my subjects I had chosen for yr 11 and 12 were more towards being an air hostess, including 2 languages! After completing year 12 I even picked out a tourism college with my parents that I was attend to complete my qualifications to give me the best chance to work as an air hostess. In a matter of a few months it all changed and I ended up taking a childcare traineeship course and now here I am! I believe that things happened for a reason and for me personally alot happened for me in that last year of school and how I ended up working in the childcare industry had to be fate! I wouldn't change it for anything!

I hope you find a centre that will take you on!

,
Lorina