About the Training Ombudsman
This website will provide you with information about our role and how we can assist you.
We provide an additional avenue for complaint, investigation and review.
- The Training Ombudsman's office
- Role of the Training Ombudsman's office
- What we investigate
- What we can not investigate
- Our structure
- Our history
- Meet the Training Ombudsman
- Our legislation
- Right to Information
The Training Ombudsman's office
The Training Ombudsman was established under the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 to help apprentices, trainees and their employers, as well as other people involved in Queensland's apprenticeship and traineeship system. The Training Ombudsman is a statutory appointment made by the Governor-in-Council.
The position is independent of the Queensland Department of Education and Training and provides an additional avenue for complaint, investigation and review. The Training Ombudsman reports to the Minister about referable matters and recommendations made to the Training and Employment Recognition Council.
Role of the Training Ombudsman's Office
The Training Ombudsman's office considers and investigates complaints from apprentices, trainees and employers who believe they have been treated unfairly or unreasonably.
Our aim is to resolve complaints impartially, informally and quickly. If we cannot assist with a particular complaint, we will explain why, and suggest other avenues for resolving the matter.
While the Training Ombudsman has no power to overturn a decision of the Training and Employment Recognition Council, the Ombudsman must provide a report to the Council about the complaint and, if appropriate, make recommendations to the Council requesting a decision be reviewed or rescinded.
What we investigate
The Training Ombudsman reviews complaints about:
- training delivered to the apprentice or trainee under the training contract
- adequacy of facilities, range of work and supervision provided by the employer under the training contract
- circumstances in which the training contract is signed, amended or cancelled.
The Training Ombudsman also reviews complaints and decisions of the Training and Employment Recognition Council relating to apprenticeship and traineeship contracts including:
- registering training contracts
- cancelling training contracts
- cancellation for serious misconduct
- reinstatement of training contracts
- penalties relating to breach of discipline
- extension of the nominal term
- declaration of a prohibited employer
- temporary stand-downs
- cancelling a completion certificate
- declaration of a restricted calling.
What we can not investigate
The Training Ombudsman can not deal with:
- a complaint which is being, or has been dealt with as an appeal, by the Industrial Commission or an Industrial Relations matter i.e.
- incentive claims
- tool allowance
- employment entitlement such as sick leave, annual leave, overtime.
Our structure
Our history
The Training Ombudsman was established under the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 to help apprentices, trainees and their employers, as well as other people involved in Queensland's apprenticeship and traineeship system. The Training Ombudsman is a statutory appointment made by the Governor-in-Council.
The position is independent of the Queensland Department of Education and Training and provides an additional avenue for complaint, investigation and review. The Training Ombudsman reports to the Minister about referable matters and recommendations made to the Training and Employment Recognition CouncilMeet the Training Ombudsman
Peter Ruhanen started as a 15-year-old apprentice in the heavy transport industry in the 1970s. He then operated a successful heavy transport and motor vehicle repair centre at Rocklea. He has completed tertiary qualifications in industrial relations. Peter has held a number of positions in the employment and training sector, 25 years in the VET sector in total. He has served on numerous committees and working groups which address changes within the training landscape in areas such as school-based apprenticeships and traineeships, competency based training and many other issues in the current Queensland Skills Plan.
Appointed in May 2006 as the Training Ombudsman, he has provided government reports on issues such as workplace bullying and harassment which formed the basis of the current Train to Retain initiative on retaining apprentices and trainees in the workplace.
Our legislation
The Training Ombudsman Queensland is a statutory appointment made by the Governor-in-Council. The position is independent of the Queensland Department of Education and Training and provides an additional avenue for complaint, investigation and review. The role of the Training Ombudsman was created with the introduction of the Training and Employment Act 2000 on 28 September 2000 (Chapter 5, section 133-145).
In summary, the Act states:
The Training Ombudsman reviews complaints about:
- training delivered to the apprentice or trainee under the training contract
- adequacy of facilities, range of work and supervision provided by the employer under the training contract
- circumstances in which the training contract is signed, amended or cancelled.
The Training Ombudsman also reviews complaints about decisions of the Training and Employment Recognition Council relating to apprenticeship and traineeship contracts including:
- registering training contracts
- cancelling training contracts
- cancellation for serious misconduct
- reinstatement of training contracts
- penalties relating to breach of discipline
- extension of the nominal term
- declaration of prohibited employer
- temporary stand-downs
- cancelling a completion certificate
- declaration of a restricted calling.
Vocational Educational, Training and Employment Act 2000
Right to Information
RTI Applications
What is the process?
Under the Right to Information Act 2009, you are entitled to apply for access to documents held by the Training Ombudsman. You are also entitled to apply to amend personal information about you that is held by the Training Ombudsman.
Our Executive Officer can offer you general advice about making an access application or an amendment application. Applications must be made in writing and include sufficient information to enable the Executive Officer to identify the document(s) in question.
Please note that certain documents, for example, those subject to legal professional privilege or relating to personal details of people other than the applicant, may be exempt from access. Documents relating to a current investigation being undertaken by the Training Ombudsman may also be exempt.
Applications should be sent to:
The Executive Officer
Queensland Training Ombudsman
Locked Mail Bag 527 GPO
Brisbane 4001
- Our Office will forward an acknowledgement letter within 14 days of receipt of the application.
- The Executive Officer will consider your application and determine whether access to the requested documents should be given, or whether any of the information in question is exempt from disclosure under the Right to Information Act 2009.
- You will be advised in writing whether access will be granted, and to what extent, as soon as possible. This will occur within a 45-day period.
- If you are refused access to documents or are otherwise dissatisfied by the decision, you may write to the Office within 28 days after receiving the decision, to request an internal review of the decision by another officer.
If, after receiving the internal review decision, you remain dissatisfied, you may apply to the Office of the Information Commissioner to have the matter examined afresh. Your application must be in writing and be made within 28 days from the day you receive the internal review decision.
You may also apply to the Office of the Information Commissioner if:
- you do not receive an initial decision in response to your access application within the 45 day time limit (a longer time period will apply if there is any dispute about charges or if consultation with third parties is necessary)
- you do not receive an internal review decision within the 28 day time limit.
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