Frequently Asked Questions
Traineeship Service for Employers
- For hiring a trainee - [email protected] or [email protected]
- For recruitment inquiries - [email protected]
- For specific questions related to an existing trainee – Reach out to your assigned Career Coach
For all other queries, contact us.
Yes, this will vary by care sector and qualification;
- Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) – employed for 18 months
- Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) – employed for 18 months
- Aged Care and Disability – employed for 12 months
This will be a collaborative process with the Y Careers Recruitment Team. The team will work with you to establish your needs and will facilitate tailored recruitment activities to source suitable candidates for your review.
Your trainee’s progress will be monitored by a team consisting of their Y Careers Career Coach, Program Manager and Employer Partner Supervisor.
As an Employer Partner, your health and safety requirements include (but are not limited to):
- Provide a safe and supportive working environment to your trainee(s) at all times.
- Ensure compliance and adherence to WHS legislation and other state and federal regulatory requirements.
- Provide ongoing health and safety training and education to your trainee(s).
- Report any notifiable incidents (serious work-related injuries, illnesses and dangerous incidents), and any near misses to your dedicated Y Careers Coach as soon as practicably possible.
- Provide appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to your trainee(s).
As a registered charity and not-for-profit, Y Careers charges Employer Partners an hourly rate for each trainee, which includes a comprehensive suite of services, including:
- Job advertising and recruitment
- Candidate screening and interview coordination
- Career Coach mentoring fees
- Wages
- Superannuation
- Annual leave
- Personal Leave
- Public holiday Leave
- Education fees
- Workers' compensation
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Pre-employment checks (including but not limited to): National Police Check, Working With Children Check, NDIS Worker Screening Check)
- Vaccinations (including but not limited to): Flu, COVID-19
Please contact Michael Oosterwyk, National Partnerships Manager at michael.oosterwyk@ycareers.org.au for the costs associated with employing a Trainee.
Y Careers is the trainee’s legal employer; however, the trainee will be “hosted” at your place of business and will work for you.
Provide a safe and supportive environment for your trainee(s).
- Assign an appropriate and adequately qualified supervisor who should provide guidance, feedback and support to help the trainee(s) to learn and develop new skills in the workplace.
- Release your trainee(s) from their work environment to attend and complete their regular training requirements.
- Provide regular feedback and performance evaluations to the trainee(s), offering constructive criticism and guidance for improvement.
- Attend and provide feedback at monitoring visits with the trainee(s) and Y Careers Coach
- Ensure the well-being, safety, and success of all trainee (s) at all times.
Managed Service for Employers
This service is for employers who prefer to directly employ trainees but need support managing the complexity of a traineeship, including recruitment, training coordination, and retention support.
You are the legal employer of the trainee.
Speak with our partnerships team at [email protected], and someone will be in touch to understand your needs and guide you through pricing.
Speak with our partnerships team at [email protected], and someone will be in touch to understand your needs and guide you through the next steps.
Our team handles all their recruitment, management, retention, performance and trainee wellbeing through the support of a career coach. This means you have support to increase completion rates and engagement.
Y Careers coordinates all training, onboarding, and administrative support for the trainee and provides access to a Career Coach for 6 months.
Yes. Each trainee gets access to a Career Coach who provides quarterly coaching sessions that include goal setting, progress tracking, and development support.
Qualified Placement Program
The Qualified Placement Program helps employers find qualified staff for the education and care sector. Y Careers manages the whole process, including:
- End-to-End Recruitment: targeted advertising, marketing, and promotion of roles
- Candidate Screening & Eligibility: thorough checks to ensure the right fit
- Interview Coordination: we handle scheduling and facilitation
- Career Coach Support: candidates get access to a Career Coach for six months
We specialise in entry-level to mid-career roles (no more than 5 years experience and not director roles) across Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), Outside School Hours Care, Aged Care, and Disability Services.
Timelines vary depending on your needs, but we aim to provide shortlisted candidates within 4–6 weeks.
All new hires receive access to a Y Careers Coach for 6 months.
We leverage our growing network of job seekers, education partners, and employment services. All candidates are pre-screened to ensure they meet your role requirements and are ready to contribute from day one.
No. While Y Careers’ traineeship program focuses on supporting young people aged 18–26 through a Commonwealth exemption under the Age Discrimination Act 2004, this exemption does not apply to the Qualified Placement Program. As Y Careers is not the legal employer, this service is open to people of all ages.
As a not-for-profit, we are able to charge a flat rate of $3,000 (ex. GST).
If your hire resigns or is terminated within one month of their start date, we’ll provide one replacement candidate at no additional cost.
Speak with our partnerships team at [email protected], and someone will be in touch to understand your needs, help define the role, and guide you through the next steps.
Trainees
We want to keep you involved with all things Y Careers. We will host networking and alumni events to connect all our past and present trainees whilst also sharing any career opportunities that may arise within our team.
Y Careers does not guarantee you a job on completion of your traineeship, however, we will work closely with you to discuss your options post traineeship, including a second traineeship, further education or assistance in finding permanent work within the industry.
Your tasks will vary depending on the placement you choose but could include:
- Assist in planning and executing engaging, age-appropriate activities that promote learning and development.
- Support and interact with children, creating a safe and stimulating environment.
- Provide feedback on progress and track developmental milestones.
- Help with daily activities such as shopping, running errands, and food preparation.
- Help with personal care tasks.
- Organise and participate in social activities and outings.
- Provide companionship, fostering meaningful relationships.
- Promote an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and valued.
- Administrative duties, such as record-keeping and ensuring compliance with documentation.
Y Careers is your legal employer and will pay your salary, as well as provide a range of tailored supports and coordinate your work placement and training program. You will be ‘hosted’ to a partner organisation within the care industry which could include Disability, Aged Care, Early Childhood Education and Care or Out of School Hours Care.
Our current program is funded to deliver a young person aged between 18 and 26.
As a Y Careers trainee, you will receive:
- Personalised employment support
- Job matching and placement
- Career Coaching
- Ongoing training and learning
A full-time trainee is employed under a training contract to work for 38 hours per week for 12 months. Trainees also receive annual leave, sick leave, public holidays, and breaks. A part-time trainee is employed under a training contract to work a minimum of 13 or 21 hours per week depending on your state requirements and receives applicable award conditions.
All Trainees will study a Certificate III or above and there is no cost for the education.
- Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) - Cert III in Early Childhood Education and Care or Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
- Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) - Cert III in Community Services, Cert III in Outside School Hours Care Or a qualification deemed equivalent, subject to state and territory training requirements
- Aged Care - Cert III in Individual Support with an option for a 2nd-year traineeship studying a Cert IV in Aged Care
- Disability - Cert III in Individual Support with an optional 2nd-year traineeship studying a Cert IV in Disability Support
This will depend on the type of traineeship that is undertaken.
- Full-time traineeship in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), Disability or Aged Care is $24.17 per hour, plus super.
- Part-time traineeship in Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) is $24.17 per hour + applicable award conditions.
There’s no cost to trainees, they will be paid to complete their training.
Safeguarding
Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued. At Y Careers, we are dedicated to protecting and empowering people who may be vulnerable, ensuring they can live with dignity, independence, and equal respect.
Our services are designed to be safe, inclusive, and empowering - supporting wellbeing and preventing harm. Our team fosters environments where choice, cultural safety, and respect are at the heart of every interaction. We are dedicated to building a culture of care, inclusion, and trust so that every person can thrive and participate fully in their community.
To achieve this, we have implemented rigorous recruitment and screening processes, learning and development pathways, and a wraparound support model for our trainees and young people we work with. We intentionally partner with organisations that share our values, embedding safeguarding and inclusion from the very beginning of their career journey.
We expect all staff, trainees, and partner organisations to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct and to share responsibility for safeguarding. Through education, accountability, and collaboration, we are committed to continuous improvement and to creating environments that are culturally safe, inclusive, and respectful of diverse identities.
Together, we strive to build a workforce that champions the rights of vulnerable people and contributes to safer, stronger communities for all.
If you think you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.
At Y Careers, the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is our highest priority.
We are committed to creating and maintaining environments where every child and young person feels safe, respected, and valued.
Safeguarding is embedded in everything we do, ensuring that children and young people remain front of mind across all our programs and services. As part of this commitment, we implement rigorous recruitment and screening practices to ensure only people with the right values and qualities work with children and young people. Safeguarding is integrated into every stage of our recruitment process - from job advertising and interviews, to reference checks, training, and ongoing supervision.
We expect all staff, trainees, and partner organisations to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct and to share our unwavering commitment to safeguarding. We are intentional about partnering with organisations that align with our values, ensuring that a strong culture of child safety is instilled in our trainees from the very beginning of their careers.
We believe that safeguarding is a shared responsibility and are committed to continuous improvement. We are committed to creating culturally safe, inclusive environments that respect the diverse backgrounds and identities of all children and young people. Through education, accountability, and collaboration, we strive to create a workforce that champions the rights of children and young people and contributes to safer communities for all.
All concerns, complaints, or allegations of child abuse or harm are taken seriously and responded to in line with our safeguarding procedures and legal obligations.
If you think you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.