Mature workers funding - Experience+ Initiative

Experience + Training - Frequently Asked Questions

Who can access Experience+ Training?

Experience+ Training is available to:

 employers operating in Australia who employ a mature age worker for at least 15 hours per week AND who employ at least one apprentice or trainee who works at the same location/site as the mature age worker; or

 small business owners operating in Australia who are themselves mature age workers (working in their own business for at least 15 hours per week) AND who employ at least one apprentice or trainee who works at the same location/site as the small business owner.

For the purposes of Experience+ Training:

 a "mature age worker" is a person aged 50 years or over at the time of application, who is not an apprentice or trainee, and

 an employee is classed as an "apprentice or trainee" if they are:

o employed under a Training Contract that has been registered with, and validated by, the State Training Authority; and

o involved in paid work and structured training which commonly comprises both on and off the job training; and

o undertaking a negotiated training program responsive to client choice that involves obtaining a nationally recognised qualification.

 a "small business" is a business that employs fewer than 20 employees at a time.

What type of courses can I apply for?

 Experience+ Training is designed to be flexible to meet the needs of both the mature age worker and their employer. Therefore, there is no set list of courses. The following restrictions apply:

o The training course nominated for the Experience+ Training grant must be nationally recognised and registered with the appropriate training authority of that state.

o The course must be at the Certificate III (or above).

o The course must be delivered in Australia by a Registered Training Organisation. The RTO must be a training organisation registered by state and territory training authorities to deliver nationally recognised training.

Where can I find a list of courses in my area?

 The National Training Information Service (NTIS) database of vocational education and training in Australia is a good reference point for information on nationally recognised courses. To access the NTIS website follow the link below:

o National Training Information Service

 The myfuture website also contains information on education and training opportunities. You can search for Education and Training Providers in your area or by the field of study or level of qualification. To access this information visit the myfuture website and click on 'The Facts', 'Education and Training'.

o myfuture

Can I apply for an Experience+ Training grant if the mature age worker is already enrolled or has commenced a course?

 The Experience+ Training Guidelines caution that you should not make any commitments in anticipation of funding until you have written confirmation from the Department that your application has been approved. We want to avoid a situation where an employer pays for a course, but the application is not approved

 The Guidelines do not, however, prevent you from submitting an application for a worker that has enrolled in, or has already commenced, training.

 To be eligible for the 'Start - up' payment, you must provide the tax invoice within 60 days of enrolment and no later than 30 June of the financial year in which the worker was enrolled in the approved training course. You should therefore check that the enrolment date for the proposed course allows you to receive the 'start-up' payment.

Is the mature age applicant eligible for Experience + Training if they are doing, or intend to do, the nominated course as an apprenticeship/traineeship?

 No. To be eligible for the program the mature age applicant cannot be undertaking or intending to undertake the nominated course as an apprenticeship or traineeship.

Is funding from other sources allowed for the nominated course?

 No. Funding is not payable under Experience+ Training for any training course:

o Where the employer, Registered Training Organisation or worker have received, or are eligible to receive, any payment in relation to that training course from other Australian Government sources or state, territory or local government bodies (for example, User Choice, Productivity Places Program); or

o Where enrolment/participation by the worker in the nominated training course is a requirement or component of another Australian Government,

state, territory or local government program under which the Registered training Organisation or worker receive payment.

 Employers must take reasonable steps to confirm that there are no double payments in relation to any training course. If an employer receives funds under the Experience+ Training and this is later found to be a double payment, that funding must be repaid as misspent funds in pursuant to paragraph 5 of Part 5 of the Application Form.

Can the mature worker have existing qualifications?

 Yes. The nominated mature age worker can either upgrade existing qualifications or undertake a new qualification. However, the proposed training course must increase the capacity of mature age worker to provide effective mentoring, supervisory and other practical support to apprentices and trainees in the workplace.

 Employers are encouraged to work with the mature age employee to seek Recognition of Prior Learning, which could significantly reduce the amount of time required to achieve the qualification.

Can I apply for a mature age worker who is working in Australia under a visa?

 Mature age workers must be Australian Citizens or permanent residents of Australia in order for an application to be approved under the Experience+ Training program.

How do employers claim their 'start up' payment?

 If the employer is advised that their application has been successful, they can enrol the nominated worker in the approved training course. Following enrolment, the employer must submit a tax invoice for the 'start up' payment, and evidence of enrolment, to the Program Manager.

 A correctly rendered tax invoice for the 'start up' payment, and evidence of enrolment, must be received by the Department within 60 days of enrolment, and no later than 30 June of the financial year in which the worker was enrolled in the approved training course.

How do employers claim the 'completion' payment?

 When the worker has successfully completed the approved training course (that is, has met all the requirements of the course), the employer must submit a tax invoice for the "completion payment", along with evidence of successful completion, to the Program Manager

What is acceptable Evidence of Enrolment?

 The employer must include evidence of enrolment with the tax invoice. Evidence of enrolment may include copies of any of the following documents from the Registered Training Organisation:

 a tax invoice for the approved course

 a letter confirming enrolment of the mature age worker in the approved course

 an official receipt confirming payment for the approved course.

What are the invoicing requirements?

Invoices must include:

 a date of issue and the tax invoice number ( or a unique identifying number)

 your organisation's name and ABN

 payment instalment to be invoiced-either Experience+ Training 'start up' payment ($3500 GST inclusive) or Experience+ Training 'completion payment' ($1450 GST inclusive) - including the names of the workers to which each payment relates.

 your bank account details for payment of the invoice by electronic funds transfer

 the total amount payable and separate identification of the GST component.

Please note: Invoices must be submitted either as a PDF invoice submitted via email to experience@dwwer.gov.au or as a hard- copy invoice submitted by post to the address below. Faxed copied of invoices will not be accepted.

Invoices must be correctly addressed to:

The Program Manager Experience+ Training Mature Age Policy Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations GPO Box 9880 (C50MA4) Canberra ACT 2601

Can associations apply for Experience+ Training on behalf of their member?

 The Experience+ Training funding agreement is made between an eligible employer and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. As such, the employer must agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Guidelines and Application Form and must enter into the agreement. Another organisation or body cannot enter into the agreement on the employer's behalf.