Apprentice Travel Allowance Scheme / 2

Apprentice Travel Allowance Scheme Guidelines

Purpose / The Apprentice Travel Allowance Scheme (ATAS) supports regional Victorian apprentices who are required to travel to block release training at a training provider remote from their home. /
Financial assistance / Apprentices will be eligible to receive up to $200 in 2014 under ATAS.
Eligibility requirements / To be eligible for ATAS, an apprentice must:
·  be undertaking an apprenticeship registered in Victoria
·  have a home address in regional Victoria (see regional definition)
·  be required to travel 100km or more (one way) to attend block release training at a registered training organisation (using the most direct route); and
·  be attending training for three consecutive days (or more).
Defining ‘regional’ / An apprentice will be considered ‘regional’ provided that their residential address (home address):
·  is in a regional area (including apprentices living interstate provided their employer is in Victoria)
·  matches the one listed in the apprenticeship register maintained by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
Regional areas will be determined on the basis of postcode. A list of regional postcodes can be found on the Department’s website:
www.education.vic.gov.au/training/
Note: where an apprentice changes their home address, they need to update their details via their Australian Apprenticeship Centre.
Exclusions from eligibility / An apprentice will not be eligible for ATAS if they:
·  are registered as a trainee (rather than an apprentice)
·  do not live in regional Victoria (see regional definition above)
·  are undertaking training that is not part of their apprenticeship
·  are attending training at a registered training organisation for two or less consecutive days; and/or
·  travel less than 100km (one way) to attend block release training.
Interstate travel / The Department will consider reimbursing apprentices for costs incurred to attend formal training interstate where the course is not delivered in Victoria on a case by case basis.
Applying for ATAS / To apply for ATAS apprentices must complete an Apprentice Travel Allowance Scheme Claim Form. The information provided on this form will be used to assess the apprentice’s eligibility for payment.
Payment structure and claims payments / Apprentices can claim ATAS once per year for a maximum of forty days travel from 1 March to 31 December 2014.
Applications must be received within three months from the last date of travel on the claim form.
Payments of claims will be paid to the apprentice by cheque.
The apprentice payment structure for eligible apprentices will be:
·  a maximum of $200 for forty days
·  a minimum of $15 for three days; and
·  will be calculated pro-rata per day.
Claims processing / ATAS forms will be processed within eight weeks of receipt. The apprentice will be advised in writing whether:
·  their ATAS application was successful with an accompanying cheque for the amount of $200 or less based on the daily rate; or
·  their ATAS application requires additional information; or
·  their ATAS application was unsuccessful and why.
Where the ATAS application is incomplete or information is missing, the processing of applications may be delayed or refused.
ATAS claims must be signed and dated by the apprentice and RTO representative on or after the last date of travel noted on the application form.
Apprentice cancellation or suspensions / Where an apprenticeship has been:
·  suspended due to a downturn in employment and the apprentice is still registered with the VRQA and undertaking training they will be able to claim for ATAS.
·  cancelled and the person continues undertaking training in the same qualification as their apprenticeship they will be able to claim for ATAS.
·  cancelled and the person does not continue with training in the same qualification as their apprenticeship they will not be eligible for ATAS.
Right to refuse payment / The Department reserves the right to refuse payment to apprentices where the information provided in the application form is false, incorrect or misleading.
Apprentice Travel Allowance Scheme / 2