One Step at a Time
If committing yourself to a study program over a few years is not
what you’re looking for, but you still want to expand your
skills and knowledge, try taking a short course.
Many community colleges, adult education colleges, private colleges
and even TAFE run short courses in things like massage, first aid,
computer skills, or photography and writing.
Doing a short course can also help you get a feel for a career
that might interest you. Short courses can help in increasing your
chances of employment if you need to find a job immediately. Things
like basic computer skills, writing skills, and communication are
almost universal requirements in all jobs now.
Go to www.shortcourses.vic.gov.au to
find out where providers of short courses are located as well as
what types of courses are on offer.
Apprenticeships and Traineeships
Apprenticeships or traineeships help you learn skills in a particular
industry by working and training on the job. They can be done full
or part-time. There is a slight difference between apprenticeships
and traineeships.
Apprenticeships are usually completed over four years, while a
traineeship is done over about two years. And there is a higher
level of commitment required from employers who take on apprentices.
Both apprenticeships and traineeships can actually be started
before you leave school through accredited VET training courses
in traditional trades such as construction, commercial cookery,
engineering and mechanics.
You apply in the same way that you apply for a job. A good place
to start is the Australian Apprenticeships Centre either by calling
13 38 73 or www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au.
Also check out job vacancies in your local newspapers or online
through registered job networks of the government Job Search site
at www.jobsearch.gov.au.
If you let people know you’re looking for an apprenticeships
or traineeship, you may find someone who can help, or who knows
an employer who is looking at taking someone on. Group Training
Organisations www.grouptraining.com.au can
also help find apprentice or trainee placements.
Some of these organisations specialise in a particular industry
and others work with a range of industries in their regional area.
When you sign up, you're officially employed by them, so they do
all the paperwork relating to things like your wages and superannuation.
There is also the Australian Defence Force apprenticeships program.
The qualifications you receive are nationally recognised and you
receive a salary above the national average. Before signing up
for this type of apprenticeship, you should get all the facts on
what you're committing to, such as the required time commitment
and all the possible obligations and responsibilities that come
from serving in the armed forces.www.defencejobs.gov.au
Getting Technical at TAFE
There are 19 TAFE institutes in Victoria offering courses in everything
from business related studies including computing skills, to community service
and health, and generic skills in things like language and literacy.
TAFE
is very much like high school in the sense you study with the same
people throughout your qualification and have small class sizes. Although
some subjects have lectures, TAFE is based mainly around hands-on, practical
training.
The courses are more vocational-based than university and are
usually industry based and designed, giving you a better understanding
of what the job requires in a very practical sense.
The qualifications you received from TAFE can range between a
Diploma to a Certificate IV and many universities now offer pathways
for you to go on to complete an undergraduate degree if you want
to continue on with more study.
As well as TAFE there are also more than 1,000 private Registered
Training Organisations that also provide similar courses and qualifications.
The RTOs provide government-funded training and/or fee-for-service
training and include group training companies, commercial institutions,
adult and community education organisations and industry training
centres. To find out more about RTOs go to: www.skills.vic.gov.au/training_organisations
The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) can provide you
with information about applications to TAFE although you should
also contact the institute at which you are interested in studying.
Browse the TAFE website www.tafe.vic.gov.au for
a list of courses and requirements.
Unravelling University
University is much more about theory than practical learning. Some
degree courses are vocational, leading to careers in clearly identified
areas like accounting or medicine, while others are more general
with no particular industrial skills component. Further training
is sometimes needed on completion of these courses to gain workplace
skills.
University provides higher education at two levels: undergraduate
and postgraduate. In Victoria, there are nine public universities
and more than 50 private providers, including four TAFE institutions
and six interstate universities offering higher education programs.
Studies have shown that university graduates have lower unemployment
rates and can earn more throughout their careers, especially if
you continue on to postgraduate studies.
Which degree you can apply for depends on your VCE score. You
can find out more about the entrance requirements for degrees through
the websites of individual universities. Or for more general information
about what courses are offered go to the Victorian Tertiary Admissions
Centre website www.vtac.edu.au and
follow the link through to courses.
Remember that university fees can be quite high, but there are
Commonwealth Support Places which allow students to subsidise the
cost of their course (through deferring payment of tuition fees)
until they secure work in a job that earns over a certain threshold.
Finding the right university is as important as finding the right
course and University Open days – which are usually held
around August and September – are a great way to find out
more about life on particular campuses. Look at www.goingtouni.gov.au for
an overall view of university life, courses and costs.
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