Private practice allure
JOBSEEKERS studying a nontrade but vocational pathway may find private training provider offers them the best learning environment and employment outcomes. Australian Council for Private Education and Training executive officer Martin Powell says TAFE is renowned for training apprentices but he believes private trainers have the advantage for other vocations.
“TAFE still has a monopoly on the apprentice side of training,’’ Powell says.
“But it’s been shown, particularly in the last decade or so, that private providers have the niche in terms of traineeships.
“So if you want to get into one of those non-traditional trade areas, then private providers are a very good option.
“No RTO (registered training organisation) can guarantee you a job but I would certainly think there are strong employment outcomes.’’
National Centre for Vocational Education Research data finds 78.8 per cent of vocational students who graduated from government-funded private providers were employed after their training, compared with 74.9 per cent of those who graduated from government-funded TAFE courses.
Powell says the strength of private providers comes from their links to industry, with many colleges also owning a business in the industry or being partnered with an industry provider.
There are about 1200 private RTOs listed on ACPET’s members catalogue, representing about 25 per cent of all private RTOs.
Professor Helmut Lueckenhausen, executive dean at Think Education says private institutes often have smaller class sizes, providing more personalised learning.
“We have strong relation- ships with our industry partners and offer our students work-integrated learning programs,’’ he says.
Making sure graduates are highly employable is paramount. Brisbane student Kristy-Lee Cox, 21, dreamed of studying beauty therapy after finishing school. Her local TAFE offered a certificate IV course in beauty therapy but Cox wanted to study at a much higher level so she enrolled in a Diploma of Beauty Therapy with the Australian National College-of Beauty.
“I did lots of research and the Australian National College of Beauty stood out,’’ says Cox, who expects to graduate at the end of the year.
“(It has) the best and most modern training facilities and it also has lecturers and teachers with real experience and connections with the industry.’’