Qualifying kids for ‘next step’

Graduates armed with career skills

MORE than half of Gold Coast students graduated from school last year with a qualification to pursue their dream profession.

Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority (QCAA) data shows 2859 (68 per cent) of the city’s graduates last year left school with some form of vocational education and training (VET). Another 16 per cent of local graduates had an apprenticeship.

The figures reveal that on average state schools placed a higher focus on the training, with 85 per cent of Year 12 students earning qualifications, compared to 53 per cent in private schools.

Silkwood School at Nerang produced the highest qualified cohort with all of their graduates leaving with some form of recognised training.

In 2019, all 24 students received VET. Of those, 16 also took part in an apprenticeship.

Silkwood was followed by Ormeau Woods State High School (99 per cent of graduates completed training), Tamborine Mountain State High

School (96 per cent) and Merrimac State High School (95 per cent).

“Every one of our students is expected to take on board internships of some kind, whether that is through an apprenticeship or interning within the arts, as a chemist or in the medical field it is tailored to their passions,” Silkwood School principal Terry O’Hanlon-Rose said.

“The students are also expected to complete a senior thesis.

“The philosophy is the Silkwood way, based on a big picture of education and real world learning designed around the students’ interests for the next step.”

Currently 80 per cent of Silkwood students attend tertiary education with many receiving early university offers, from July onwards.

“I am really proud to be leading this school focused on a 21st-century approach to education, not just standardising,” Mr O’Hanlon-Rose said.

“This is about them creating their learning around their passions.”

Gold Coast TAFE said it delivered in-school training to 19 high schools on the Gold Coast.

Popular courses include Certificate III in Animal Studies, Certificate II in Health Support & Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (dual qualification) & Certificate II in Electrotechnology.

“Vocational training isn’t just trades, there are quite a lot of avenues. We are seeing students choose courses that line up with job opportunities in the future, particularly health qualifications,” Gold Coast TAFE general manager Karen Dickinson said.

Ms Dickinson said there had been a 50 per cent increase in school-based enrolments for this year now that VET training could count towards the new ATAR system.

Previously, the OP system, which ended last year, did not take into account certificates.

“Universities also love the trained students as they have the hands-on skills under their belt already,” she said.