What is VET?
Vocational Education and Training (VET) is focused on providing students with specific job-related and technical skills. Qualifications range from Certificate I level courses through Advanced Diplomas.
How is VET different from traditional school subjects?
Recognized and standardized nationally - School syllabi differ from state to state. You may study Business as a subject in Senior in Years 11 and 12 in NSW and cover quite different material to a school in QLD. VET qualifications are nationally recognized, and form the first five/six 'rungs' of our Australian Qualifications Framework (see here:
https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-levels ).
Practical skills - Most VET training focuses on 'hands-on' skills. For example, any study which forms part of a trade apprenticeship is a VET qualification.
WHS inclusion - Most VET qualifications (but not all) have a unit included around Workplace Health and Safety.
Assessed differently - VET assessors have two options when training: 'Competent' and 'Not Yet Competent. If students are deemed 'Not Yet Competent and it's their first time being assessed, they will typically be offered another two opportunities to get that skill right. Think of it this way: VET qualifications are around ensuring that a final product is perfect (think of fitting a kitchen, installing a light, or getting a haircut). 51/100 might be a pass for school subjects, but no one would be happy with a kitchen installed 51% correctly. Therefore, students are afforded more than one chance to get it right, because a high level of skill is expected.
More QCE points - Successful completion of Cert III courses gain the students 6-8 QCE points. 4 Semesters of school subjects will net a student 4 QCE points.
Can be used as an alternative entry pathway to uni - Many universities will accept VET qualifications from Certificate III and above as entry methods for university, provided that the student has met prerequisites.
In-house VET subjects are timetabled the same as academic subject offerings and taught by MMC staff*
In 2023 we will offer the following qualifications taught by MMC staff during regular timetabled hours:
- Certificate II in Tourism
- Certificate II Health Support / III in Health Services Assistance
VET qualification of your choice through an external provider* - Students can elect to complete a VET qualification as one of their three elective choices. MMC currently partners with various external RTOS to offer the following qualifications:
- Certificate IV in Justice Studies – Unity College
- Diploma of Business – Get Set Education
These qualifications can be studied online during the normal school day at MMC, and regular updates on student progress will be provided to parents.
Important Information
It is important to note that while MMC takes the utmost care to support students who choose external VET providers (other than those offered in-house as timetabled subjects), the College has no ability to monitor training or student progress and as such, has no ability to intercede should the student be dissatisfied with the training provided. This is also the case for students engaged in a school-based traineeship or apprenticeship, who are bound by employment laws.
MMC is not a Registered Training Organisation, we partner with trusted RTOs to provide quality VET offerings. This means that there will be an additional cost for undertaking a VET qualification, payable directly to the RTO.
©Brisbane Catholic Education, Mary MacKillop College (2022)