USE VET TO EXPLORE YOUR CAREER OPTIONS WHILE YOU’RE STILL AT SCHOOL
Students are getting the jump on their careers while they’re still at school, exploring what their life of work will look like before they decide on an occupation and learning the skills they need to get started.
Vocational education and training pathways are also ensuring students have greater success if they do decide to pursue an apprenticeship in their chosen field.
School students have been able to study vocational education and training at school under the VET in Schools program for more than 25 years.
It allows students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to complete VET courses instead of traditional school subjects as part of their high school certificate.
On completion of a certificate I or II course, school students also receive a nationally recognised qualification that can be used as a partial credit towards obtaining a higher VET course, such as a certificate III and apprenticeship or traineeship.
Students can also complete an apprenticeship or traineeship as part of VET in Schools, known as a School-Based Apprenticeship or School-Based Traineeship, which combines paid work, on-the-job training and secondary school.
READ MORE: Apprenticeship Support Australia answers FAQs about apprenticeships and traineeships
Completing these kinds of VET – also called pre-apprenticeships – before starting an apprenticeship has been found to increase the chances of someone finishing their apprenticeship as well as increasing job satisfaction.
The National Centre for Vocational Education Research report Understanding the Value of Pre-Apprenticeships reveals students who complete a pre-apprenticeship in the same field of education as their apprenticeship are 7.3 percentage points more likely to finish their apprenticeship than those who did not enrol in a pre-apprenticeship program.
NCVER managing director John King says there is value in getting hands-on preparation and keeping students motivated.
“Pre-apprenticeships help turn initial curiosity into commitment, building both skills and passion,” he says.
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Students can talk to their school’s career adviser to find out more information.
VET in School subjects do not have to be offered on their school’s campus, with many schools allowing students to attend classes at other schools and external providers.
HOW LAWSON EXPLORED HIS OPTIONS AT SCHOOL
Lawson Connor, 17, knew he wanted to pursue a career in healthcare because of his personal experience with epilepsy, which meant frequent trips to hospital in ambulances.
Through his illness, he missed a lot of school, which put gaining an ATAR to get into a university course out of reach.
“I’ve kind of grown up in the hospital because I’d have seizures so frequently,” he says.
“During Year 9 I was having seizures really, really frequently, and thankfully I recovered from that, but the careers advisor at school knew I had a passion for healthcare and she found a course.
“It was a Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance (completed via an Australian School-Based Apprenticeship (ASBA)).
READ MORE: Vocational programs offered to secondary school students by Victoria University
“I had no clue what allied health was – I knew it was healthcare – but I do love a good opportunity.
“I had no clue what an ASBA was, then I started doing it in Year 10 and loved it.”
The course involved working in a variety of healthcare settings while learning allied health assistance skills, with it counting towards his secondary schooling.
The experience cemented that paramedicine and emergency care was the area he wanted to pursue as a career.
However, jobseekers need to complete a bachelor degree to work as a paramedic and Lawson knew he wouldn’t get an ATAR to be able to apply if he finished Year 12.
Then he remembered his career advisor had told him his certificate III could be a pathway to university.
“It’s not even something I considered (at first) but I was very grateful to realise that halfway through my ASBA because I was very stressed,” he says.
“I’m now in university, which is really exciting, without an ATAR. I’m very lucky to be able to use my certificate.”
Many higher education providers allow VET qualifications such as a certificate III as an entry pathway into bachelor degrees for non-school leavers.
“I didn’t even know ASBAs existed before I started doing it and my friends still barely understand it, so I think there probably should be more awareness because it’s such a cool option,” he says.
“In my case, I’m quite good at English but maths for me is really tricky, so that kind of brings my overall ATAR down.
“If I did get an ATAR, it probably wouldn’t have been high enough to study paramedicine or something like that, which is a shame and that’s why I really do like school-based apprenticeships because usually you’re doing it because it’s an area you have a passion for, and if you have a passion for it, then you can really, really thrive in that area.”
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Lawson is now studying paramedicine at university while working as a Triple 0 call taker.
His role also meant he has obtained another vocational certificate – a Certificate III in Ambulance Communications.
“I loved vocational education so much because I really thrive in that practical kind of environment,” he says.
“If it wasn’t for my career advisor, I wouldn’t be in this position, which is crazy to think about.”
HOW LARA EXPLORED HER OPTIONS AT SCHOOL
Lara Wilson, 18, was discussing career options with a school teacher in Year 11 when they suggested she apply to do a traineeship as part of her school studies.
The A student wasn’t sure at first but gave it a go and has loved the experience.
“Our VET coordinator said ‘You’ve expressed your interest in being a teacher, I’m going to send you this link, apply for it and see if you can work as education support and do it as a traineeship. You’ll be paid for the work that you do while you’re getting a qualification’,” she says.
“I thought it sounds a bit weird but alright, so I applied.
“I sat my first job interview, met the team at Hospital School SA and they said, ‘You’ve got the job.’.
“I was stoked actually – it meant that I could still do my studies and still earn a qualification and get a job all at the same time in a career that I was wanting, instead of staying at school and doing subjects that didn’t really align with where I wanted to go.”
Working at the school confirmed that she wanted to be a teacher, so she has gone on to study a teaching degree at university.
She is still working as a school support officer part time at Hospital School SA while she studies.
“I achieved one of the highest ATARs in my grade thanks to the VET course,” she says.
“I still maintained my As at school, I still did all of my Year 12 subjects, but I earned SACE credits with my VET course, which meant that I could cut some of the subjects at school and still earn more than enough SACE credits to graduate and get an ATAR.”
READ MORE: Alicia Farr’s story
While the VET qualification was not able to be used as a pathway into the degree, nor did it provide her with credits to shorten the length of time that it will take to study, she does understand the content better thanks to her practical experience.
“I already had the background knowledge of how a school works and the ins and outs of being a teacher and the expectations so I could bring that knowledge into my uni course,” she says.
“I’m also able to ask lecturers deeper questions on the topics.”
She encourages all school students to consider the options available through VET while still at school.
“If there’s any doubt in your mind of what you could do, or you’re not sure, give that a go because you’ve got a bit of a trial period to play around with it and you’re still leaving school open as an option,” she says.
“You might decide halfway through your VET course that it’s absolutely what you want to do or you could do different VET courses just to find a career path that you feel is right for you.
“It just gives you an extra avenue of options.”
HOW FELICITY EXPLORED HER OPTIONS AT SCHOOL
Felicity Wadsworth, 20, first found out about her civil construction traineeship from a VET teacher at her school, who emailed students encouraging them to apply for it.
“I didn’t know what it was but I knew I wanted to get into construction,” she says.
Within a couple of hours of submitting her resume, she was accepted, and able to combine career training with her school work.
She says she has encountered some stereotypes and prejudices about being a female in an industry where the majority of workers are male, but a supportive mother has helped her to stick with it.
“I thought there was a preconceived idea you had to be a big tomboy but I’m a girl’s girl and you can be both, you don’t have to choose just one,” she says.
“I realised I can be on site and be myself – hard work and dedication will take you further than you think.”
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She is also determined to not just be assigned some of the less physical jobs on a construction site and has a goal to become a supervisor.
“Every day I get to show up and prove the misconception that women don’t belong in construction and I’m paving the way for the next generation of women coming through,” she says.
READ MORE: Sophie Orrock’s story
Her advice to anyone exploring their career options is to give it a go, with school being a good time to do so.
“The worst that can happen is you find this job isn’t for you,” she says.
When choosing school subjects to suit your future career, consider Exploring All The Options.
Cara Jenkin is a freelance journalist with more than 20 years’ experience working in the print, digital and television media. It included 10 years as the editor of NewsCorp’s Careers employment section, covering topics ranging from education and training to workplace career advice.