Plan for what's expected and unexpected

• Find out from your supervisor and or employer what your job entails and when the busiest times are at your workplace. This will help you organise your study schedule.
• Remember, you are entitled to paid time off to study.
• Having your study as part of your workday will help you stay on track.. A good philosophy to live by is “it’s much easier to keep up than to catch up".
• Talk to your trainer about how much coursework you’ll have and when your deadlines will be so you can plan ahead.
• Your Training Plan provides details of the expected delivery dates for each of the Units of Competency that you need to complete. Use it to schedule and keep on track with your coursework.

Study tips

• Clearly mark all your study and work deadlines on your calendar.
• Work out your top priorities and how long you have. Divide up your tasks so you can avoid a last minute rush.
• Start your assignments early in case unplanned events come up.
• Discuss your assignments with your employer and or supervisor, they can help with any questions or concerns you have.
• Let your supervisor, friends and family know about your training schedule. Ask for help when you need it.
• To help study some people create a dedicated study space at home, this may help you to remain focused and work uninterrupted.
• Create a realistic and flexible schedule. Build a routine you can stick to, but can also remember you can change this schedule if you have to adapt to new assignments, unexpected

Your licence is the most important tool in your toolbox

Most apprentices and trainees need a licence to do their job or to get to worksites and training. A crash or an infringement can cost your licence, jeopardise your employment or worse. The Roads and Maritime Services’ Geared website is full of useful information, including licensing information. Check out the GEARED site today.

Tips to look after yourself

• Manage any stress. If stress continues over a long period, it can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health.
• Get around eight hours of sleep, take regular breaks, eat well and do regular stretches.
• Make sure you have time to do some kind of physical activity, whether it’s walking in your local park, doing weights at the gym or fitting in a swim. Exercise helps you release stress and get out of your head.
• Avoid nights out during the week so you can get enough sleep and feel energised and focussed at work.

Keep track of your progress

• Save copies of your assignments and assessments so you can see what you’ve achieved so far
• Keep a record of the competencies you've completed so you know which units you still need to complete to get your qualification
• If your qualification is updated, your training organisation will explain the difference between the old and new qualification and if you need to study any new subjects.

Ask for help

If you’re finding your training too hard, talk to your lecturers or trainers about your workload. If work's getting to you, talk to a colleague, your supervisor or your employer. The first step to making the situation better is talking to someone about it.

How can we help? Contact us.