Datacom Connect F.A.Q...
This page has been created to assist the students who are employed by Datacom Connect. The answers to the questions are intended as a guide. Please feel free to contact the College if you would like more information.
For all Students from Datacom Victoria

Natalie Sutic - Administration/Traineeship Coordinator - Datacom
Having come from an Administration and Recruitment background I am very energized about heading up the Trainee Program and the challenges that come with it.
Whilst in Recruitment I dedicated my time to Office Support positions which varied from Receptionists to Management.
This position was an eye opener to the importance of education, as in today’s society it is a stepping stone to a successful career. With this said it only made sense to step into a role where I could assist individuals with developing their education levels.

Natalie is located on level five in the recruitment area in the Sydney office if you have any questions about Traineeships.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What
is a traineeship?
Traineeships are employment arrangements where the Commonwealth and
State Governments support and encourage the training of new and existing employees

What course will I be eligible to do?
That will depend upon a number of different factors....however....
Most NEW employees will be eligible to do one of the following courses:
Certificate III Customer Contact
Certificate III Business or Business Administration
Certificate III in Financial Services
Certificate III Information Technology
Certificate IV Information Technology
Certificate III Business Sales
Certificate IV in Business and Business Frontline Management (combined)
Most EXISTING employees will be eligible to do one of
the following courses:
Certificate IV Customer Contact
Certificate IV Business(Frontline Management)
Certificate III in Information Technology
Certificate IV in Information Technology

Why should I do this course?
- It is giving YOU the chance to gain a NATIONALLY
recognised QUALIFICATION
- Your employer is generously meeting the financial requirements - there
are NO direct costs to you - it's FREE
- It allows you to gain necessary skills in the areas you are currently
working in
- It takes up a minimal amount of time to do. (3 - 4 Hours per week on
average)
- It shows that you want to improve yourself and gain new skills
- By missing out on the course you may be missing out on skills you
need to get a promotion

What if I don’t want to do
the course I have been asked to do?
Then please discuss with the Traineeship Coordinator at Datacom Connect
which course you may believe is more suitable for you to do.
Please note that the Government sets the range of courses that are available
as traineeships and the course that you may wish to do may not be offered.
Please also note that the Training Path chosen may reflect the current need
by Datacom Connect, and this path may require you completing a Certificate
III Qualification in order to then gain a Certificate IV Qualification later 
Where do I do the course?
- At your own workplace during quiet times
- On your way to or from work - if travelling by public transport
- At home
As Datacom is providing this opportunity for you to improve yourself it is
only reasonable to expect that you will contribute to your own advancement
by setting aside time to do the course 
How much of my time will this take up?
That
depends on a number of different factors, however, as a rough guide:
Cert III Courses - 2 to 3 hours per week
Cert IV Courses - 3 to 5 hours per week
As you can appreciate different individuals might spend more or less
time depending on their reading and comprehension ability, as well as
their experience.
If you were to set aside 2 hours a week - this is 120 minutes, which when spread over 5 days which equals 24 minutes a day, or finding two 12 minute spaces during the day... so not a big time commitment at all.

Do I have to sit any exams?
No there are NO
EXAMS
Instead you will be given a range of assessment tasks to complete. These
tasks will reflect real life questions or scenarios that you can relate
back to your workplace.

How long does it take to complete?
As a general rule the following maximum timeframes are set by the government for Traineeship course, but most students actually complete their course in a much shorter period than allowed:
Certificate III Customer Contact - 1 year term
Certificate III Information Technology - 2 year term
Certificate III Business Sales - 1 year term
Certificate IV Information Technology - 2 year term
Certificate IV Customer Contact - 2 Year term
Certificate IV Business(Frontline Management) - 2 year term
Certificate IV in Business and Business Frontline Management (Combined) – 1
year term,
Please note that if you enrol in the Certificate IV Customer Contact course
AFTER completing the Certificate III Customer Contact course then the term
is only 1 year.
YES you can complete the courses earlier.
YES you will receive your Certificate when you complete the course (even if
you do finish early.)

How much does it cost? Will my salary be affected?
There are NO costs to the trainee - Datacom meets the fees involved.
All we ask is that once you have agreed to start the course then you meet
the commitment to finish it!
Will my salary be affected? No - there are no changes to your salary. However,
with the new skills you acquire from doing the course you may be able to
go for promotions and INCREASE your salary.

What if I leave Datacom?
If you leave Datacom after enrolling in a course yet prior to
submitting any work we ask you to return the course folder to Datacom
If you leave Datacom when you have submitted work and are partially through the
course we ask you to notify the College prior to you leaving. There may be options to continue your course, or to get a Transcript showing what you have successfully completed.In most cases you might be able to complete your traineeship with a new employer.
If you leave Datacom and do not continue with your studies you will be issued
a Transcript from the Australian College which will list the units in the course
that you have successfully completed.

What if I change departments?
In most cases
this will not impact upon your ability to complete your traineeship. If you
believe that it might - simply contact your College Training Manager to discuss your situation.

What does distance delivery / self directed
learning mean?
What this means is that the student is given the materials for the
course, is provided with assessment tasks and also a timetable to submit
assessments. There are no formal classes, with the student taking responsibility
for their own learning.
The student is however given a good support structure. The
Australian College sends a Training Manager to Datacom
Connect (Nth Ryde) every month to assist you. You also have instant access to help by email or phone.

When will I see the College Training Manager or Assessor?
Most of the assessments
are handled by an independant person who marks the assessment tasks submitted.
If you have a query to make about an assessment please see your Training
Manager when they are on site OR contact the College by email or phone.
Click here for College Contact details

How will I be supported throughout my
traineeship ?
You have multiple areas of support throughout your traineeship:
Your Australian College Training Manager has been allocated to Datacom to assisting you throughout the course. It is their role to help facilitate your training and
understanding of the materials and assessment tasks.
If your Training Manager is not available or you would like another Trainers perspective on the question, or you would like to communicate directly with the person who will assess (mark) your work - simply contact the College and ask for assistance.
Email any questions or problems to the assessments email address with the subject line of your email made to the Attention of your Training Manager (if you know who that is). In the email let us know the task and question you are having difficulty with - and either your Training Manager or another Trainer will contact you to assist.
OR phone the College during business hours. Note if you need phone help after-hours simply let us know that and we will make an appointment to contact you at the time that suits.

What are my responsibilities to the Aust
College after enrolling?
Your responsibilities are simply to complete the course and attend
for work at the nominated times.
As part of the course you may be required to:
- attend tutorials,
- attend one on ones,
- send/post/fax in work,
- deliver work according to training plan,
- provide your details (email and phone) for communicating
So as you can see the requirements are not onerous.
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