The Workplace Learning endorsed program provides an opportunity for a student to demonstrate and develop increasing competence in the core skills for work, often referred to as generic transferable or employability skills. A student learns to apply and adapt the workplace skills that are necessary to understand and carry out different types of work and that play a key role in lifelong learning.

Developing competence in workplace skills assists an individual to gain employment and, in the longer term, to progress within the organisation or industry area in which they are employed and to contribute successfully to the organisation’s objectives and to the wider community.

Workplace Learning is an Authority-developed endorsed program that is managed by individual schools. To complete this endorsed program, a student works in one or more real workplace/s to develop a set of transferable workplace skills. The student must record the number of hours completed and the tasks undertaken in the workplace in the Authority’s Workplace Learning Logbook. The student must also provide evidence of their knowledge and understanding of the workplace skills by completing the Authority’s Workplace Learning Skills Journal after each 55 hours completed in the workplace.

Prendiville Catholic College is part of the ONSITE cluster, which coordinates students, employer training and supervises work placements. ONSITE is the model by which Workplace Learning is delivered to students at Prendiville Catholic College and other Independent and Catholic schools in the metropolitan region. Students who apply and participate in the ONSITE programme are required to enrol in the Workplace Learning programme at Prendiville Catholic College.

ONSITE is a Workplace Learning Programme that provides students with the opportunity to develop work skills while continuing with their senior secondary education. The ONSITE staff will manage and implement the programme within policy guidelines established by the various consultative and management groups. The Workplace Learning School Coordinator (Mr Jason Todd) assists the ONSITE Coordinators at a school level to manage and implement the programme.

Students are required to attend the allocated workplace one day a week (usually a Wednesday for Prendiville students) and work as directed by the workplace supervisor. Most students complete two placements during the one year. ONSITE students are expected to make a complete commitment to learning in the workplace.

The major goals of the programme include:

• To develop in students a wide range of work-related competencies
• To assist students with career planning
• To increase self-esteem and confidence
• To develop broader communication skills with people outside the school environment
• To enable students to complete Year 12 and attain WACE Certification and also have the benefit of ongoing work-based experience and training
• Through workplace experience, students may gain points for admission to TAFE.

In addition, some students may elect to combine their industry experience with a VET qualification. Students interested in various VET qualifications will be invited to an Information Evening at the end of Term 2 to find out how they can combine their workplace experience with a VET qualification.

Students who enrol in Workplace Learning are charged a $500 service fee for participating in the ONSITE programme (this fee is subject to change prior to the students commencing, due to programme costs still to be finalised). The $500 fee partially covers the total cost charged to the school by ONSIT to facilitate, maintain and service the programme for the benefit of Prendiville Catholic College students. Costs include initial interviews, workplace visits, telephone calls, correspondence, employer training, sourcing a placement, logbook production, insurance provision and so forth.