NECA Training & Apprenticeships is continuing to monitor and respond to the information being provided by the national and local Authorities in regard to COVID-19.

Advice for hosts

Our goal is to protect the health of our apprentices, your team and our own team during this challenging period. Where it is within the Authorities’ guidelines to do so, we want apprentices to continue to safely work with you, gaining essential on-the-job experience.

It is essential that all apprentices remain at home if they have any flu-like symptoms and seek medical advice either by contacting their GP, or if they have symptoms associated with COVID-19, by calling the Health Direct hotline on 1800 022 222.

If a NECA apprentice is sent home unwell, please notify us.

Office operations

We will continue to provide support to our hosts, apprentices and learners throughout this period. We have implemented additional safety measures within our offices to protect our team and to reduce direct personal contact. Some team members are working remotely and visits to our offices will need to be confirmed in advance. We appreciate your patience with any minor delays as we manage our support under these new arrangements.

Field officer visits

Field visits are able to be conducted remotely. Where it is appropriate to conduct a visit face to face, social distancing will be maintained and the field officer can conduct the visit and assessment outside the site.

NECA’s colleges

NECA’s Centres of Excellence at Chullora and Fyshwick are continuing to train. Our courses have been reconfigured to incorporate current Health Authority advice and assist in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Our Certificate III apprentices have returned to college-based learning and are minimising risk with social distancing, increased hygiene and staggered break periods to minimise interactions.

We have put in place heightened personal hygiene measures for both staff and students including:

• Social distancing
• Providing alcohol-based hand sanitiser for staff and students
• Sanitising all equipment and frequently accessed surfaces after every class
• Preventing any staff or student who has flu-like symptoms from attending
• Monitoring and adhering to government-health advice around the pandemic

Stimulus package assistance for hosts and apprentices

We are engaging with Government to support apprentices and hosts. This includes:

• Accessing JobKeeper. NECA is passing on the JobKeeper credit for days worked to reduce hosts’ labour costs and keep our apprentices working
• Providing support and advice to apprentices impacted by COVID-19
• Processing the ‘Supporting Apprentices and Trainees’ 50% wage rebate for small-business hosts and passing on these payments as soon as they are received.
• More flexible placement arrangements were required and additional training opportunities
• Working with the National Apprentice Employment Network to advocate for industry and apprentice support

NECA Contacts

You can continue to contact us in the usual way. For general enquiries:

NECA Electrical Apprenticeships

NSW (Head office): (02) 9744 2754, admin@necatraining.com.au

ACT:  (02) 6280 5580, GTACT@necatraining.com.au

QLD:  0412 344 109, OpsQLD@necatraining.com.au

NECA Training

P: (02) 9188 4424,

E: skills@necatraining.edu.au