What is VET and how does it benefit you?
In a rapidly changing employment environment, the speed, value and skills VET provides helps people take a faster, more cost-effective route to completing a qualification and entering the workforce. Vocational Education and Training (VET) refers to education and training that provides the practical skills and knowledge you need to join the workforce for the first time, re-join the workforce, gain an apprenticeship or traineeship, enter tertiary study, or advance your professional development, says the Queensland Government.
As a result, VET graduates enter employment with confidence and first-hand experience.
VET is offered by a variety of training providers both publicly (TAFE) and privately operated. According to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, VET Student Outcomes 2018 publication, 79.8% of VET graduates who undertook their training as part of an apprenticeship or traineeship were employed after training.
VET courses generally take less time to complete than a general bachelor degree (three years) or typical professional degree (four years or more).
VET courses vary in length and are much more dynamic: Certificates I–IV range from six months to two years. Diploma courses typically take one or two years. Advanced diplomas usually take between 18 months to two years, a graduate certificate typically takes six months to one year and a graduate diploma usually takes between one and two years.
Benefits of VET
VET qualifications help graduates stand in good stead to take on their chosen career as they focus on the occupational skills and competencies the graduates need.
VET courses broaden skills in a specialised area and give students the practical experience they’ll need for the workplace.
It will train students to design, plan and execute the practical and technical aspects of their field within an industry context.
There are many professions that are delivered through VET that may surprise you, and ones with strong job prospects. Nursing
Health workers
Childcare
Finance and accounting
Design
Management
Agriculture
VET courses provide myriad job opportunities and opens doors to both traditional and surprising career opportunities and no matter what a student’s interests or skill set, there’s a job and VET course to suit.
Where can VET take you? Nursing
A VET Diploma or Advanced Diploma in Nursing provides students with the skills and knowledge required to provide nursing care for people across the health sector. Enrolled nurses integrate and adapt specialised, technical and theoretical knowledge to address a diverse range of clinical situations and challenges in their area of specialisation.
Health workers
A VET qualification in health can set students up for a career in a range of occupations, such as dental hygiene, optometry, pharmacy, disability services, mental health and aged-care, to fitness training, sports science, lifestyle coaching and nutrition.
Childcare
A VET qualification in early childhood education and care provides students with the skills required to design and implement curriculums for early childhood education and care services. They work to implement an approved learning framework within the requirements of the Education and Care Services National Regulations and the National Quality Standard.
Finance and accounting
A VET qualification in finance or accounting offers students a chance to work on their leadership skills and learn how to apply theoretical and specialist knowledge and skills to work in a finance setting. Jobs may include accountant, accounting clerk, bookkeeper, financial broker or a financial investments advisor.
Design
A VET qualification in the design field offers students a wide range of industries in which they can learn to apply their technical skills, from construction and the built environment to IT/multimedia to fashion.
Management
A VET qualification in the management arena offers students a chance to work on their leadership skills and learn how to apply theoretical and specialist knowledge and skills in a business setting. Jobs include management positions in retail, restaurants, call centres, distribution centres and large businesses.
Agriculture
A VET qualification in agricultural offers students a chance to engage in outdoor work such as cultivating land, growing plants, soil testing or raising stock. Jobs may include livestock farm worker, or farm owner/ operator.