Apprenticeships, traineeships – What's the difference?
Apprenticeships and traineeships both combine work and study with
on-the-job training. If you want to get stuck straight into a trade
or skill, this is a good option for you.
Apprenticeships last three to four years and are offered in traditional
trade areas, such as plumbing, building, carpentry and welding.
Apprenticeships can be full-time or part-time and the faster you
learn the skills, the faster you can graduate. If you’ve
already completed a school-based apprenticeship, you’ll be
on the inside track to a nationally recognised qualification.
Traineeships last one to two years and usually combine on-the-job
training with study. The variety is as big as the job market, from
fashion design and meat processing to telecommunications. For a
full list of apprenticeships and traineeships go to www.australianapprentiships.gov.au
You could also ring up the businesses in your area of interest.
They can give you information about when apprenticeships might
come up.
Other vocational options
TAFE campuses and registered training organisations offer thousands
of different vocational courses – from hairdressing and tourism
to IT, business and mechanics. TAFE works closely with industry
to make sure its graduates have the most up-to-date skills. You
can even study year 12 through TAFE. They deliver their courses
flexibly – so you can study in a classroom, at home or on-line.
Your best bet is to check out the TAFE website in your state to
see what's on offer.
Private colleges and training organisations also offer a wide
variety of vocational options. Explore the possibilities at www.training.com.au
I want to go to University
Forget school uniforms and notes from your mum, university is a whole new
way of life. It’s your turn to be in charge – and
that starts with working out your preferences for your application.
While it’s important to follow your dream, be realistic about getting
into the course you want. Find out what the entry requirements were last
year. Ask yourself whether this is an achievable goal?
Entrance scores vary between universities, so if you hope to study nursing,
explore all the nursing courses in your region, or look even further afield.
Entrance scores at regional universities can often be lower, as can full
fee paying courses.
Don’t assume that the university closest to you will offer the best
course. Do some research online or find a copy of The Good Universities
Guide in your school library. Also check out www.goingtouni.gov.au
Studying through the Open University program is also an option. There are
no standard entry scores for open university degrees and you can
study anywhere, anytime – the delivery of these courses is completely
flexible. www.open.edu.au
There are two kinds of uni places
Australian universities offer two kinds of places - Commonwealth
Supported Places and Domestic Fee Paying places.
If you receive a Commonwealth place, the government pays the bulk
of your tuition fee. You can then access a HECS- HELP loan to pay
for the rest of it.
Not all universities offer Full-fee paying places. These places
are not subsidised by the government and you must pay all your
fees upfront. You can access a government FEE-HELP loan for up
$100,000, but unlike HECS-HELP it attracts a 20 per cent surcharge.
In both cases you will only need to start repaying these loans
once you earn more than $39,824 a year, which is indexed annually.
Do university graduates earn more money?
In some cases, yes. If you complete a university degree, it’s
likely you’ll add an extra $10,000 to your pay packet. On
average, graduates receive a starting salary of $40,800. If you
choose to work in a rural or regional area, you can add another $2000
to that.
If you’ve completed a vocational qualification, you can
expect to start earning between $28,000 and $34,000 a year. However
many qualified tradespeople in skill shortage areas earn significantly
more than this.
If you plan to head straight into the workforce, you can expect
to earn Australia’s minimum wage, which is $27,150.24 a year
or $13.74 an hour. You may earn less than this if you take on a
junior role, train on the job or have a disability.
For more information about salaries, go to www.graduatecareers.com.au or www.jobsearch.gov.au
 
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