Qualifications & industry sectors
What qualifications are available?
No matter what your interests or career goals, there’s probably a qualification available to suit you. Vocational education and training qualifications are offered in more than 80% of occupations, ranging from traditional trades, engineering, mining and building through to aviation, electronics, biotechnology, telecommunications, retail and financial services.
What is vocational education & training?
Vocational education and training (VET) provides skills and knowledge for work through a national training system. VET courses are provided by TAFE, private training organisations, community based organisations and employers.
For information about how the National Training System works, visit the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) website.
Qualifications
Vocational education and training offers these qualifications:
- Certificate I
- Certificate II
- Certificate III
- Certificate IV
- Diploma
- Advanced Diploma
Certificates I – IV:
- recognise achievement of specified national industry competency standards at four AQF levels in a wide variety of trades, industries and enterprises
- recognise skills and knowledge that meet nationally endorsed industry/enterprise competency standards as agreed for those qualifications by the relevant industry, enterprise, community or professional group
- include preparatory access and participation skills and knowledge such as:
- literacy and numeracy
- communication skills
- working in teams
- workplace technology
- industry specific competencies, of increasing complexity and personal accountability at each level of the Certificate qualification may be gained through a wide range of pathways, including:
- Australian Apprenticeships (including traineeships);
- work-based and/or school/institution-based training;
- and recognition of prior learning (which may include training programs or an accumulation of short courses).
Have skills & experience already?
VET programs offer ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ (RPL), which allows you to receive recognition and credit for your knowledge and skills, no matter how and where they were achieved, including overseas.
ABLAC will help you decide the level of expertise required for specific positions – call 1300 652 236.
More information
Australian Apprenticeships Job Pathways website
You can search by Trades, Job Pathway Charts, Work Type or School-based Apprenticeships.
National Training Information Service (NTIS)
This database contains extensive information about vocational training, with details of training courses available, qualifications and competency standards in Australia.
Do I have to do a whole qualification?
No – it depends on you, the skills you need, and your employer’s business needs. The training program can range from one ‘unit of competency’ to a whole qualification.
A unit of competency is a specific skill within a qualification.
Example
Let’s say you are working in contemporary furniture production & design, and you are interested in upgrading your skills in glass and glazing.
You enrol in: Certificate III in Glass and Glazing
One of the units of competency you complete is: ‘Apply film to glass’. This unit ‘addresses the knowledge and skills required to prepare glass surfaces and cut and apply window film.’
What’s the difference between an apprenticeship and a traineeship?
Apprenticeship are generally in the ‘traditional’ trades, such as electrotechnology, building, hairdressing or carpentry. Traineeships covers all other non-trade qualifications, and include pharmacy, retail, business administration, multi media and IT.
There are literally hundreds of options to choose from: ABLAC List of traineeships
How long do they take?
Apprenticeships can take up to four years to complete, but many programs can be completed more quickly. This is because they are skills based programs which can be completed at a pace that suits you and your employer — the sooner you can learn and apply your new skills, the sooner you can gain your qualification. When you successfully complete your apprenticeship you become a qualified tradesperson.
Traineeships generally last for 12 months but may extend for up to three years. Trainees join a formal training program that generally combines off-the-job training with on-the-job work experience and training.
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships
Senior high school students can start some apprenticeships or complete a traineeship while at school.
As a school-based apprentice/trainee, you’ll be paid while being trained — and both your on-the-job and off-the-job training can contribute to your HSC. What’s more, since you’ll already have a job and started your training, you’ll be qualified quicker.
School-based apprentices work part-time and start the first stage of their structured training while at school. School-based trainees work part-time and complete their formal training by the end of their HSC year.
What industry should I choose?
What are you interested in? There are many VET courses in different industry sectors or areas – building and construction, hospitality, automotive, tourism, business and lots more. And within each industry there are many different types of occupations and career paths.
Talk to your family and friends, careers advisers and employers — get as much information as you can about the options and opportunities in different industries.
Useful sites
- Skillsroad.com.au: our specialist jobsite for apprentices and trainees.
- Myfuture: an Australian Government careers information site
Skills shortages?
There are skill shortages in many industries: check out the Government’s National Skills Needs List, which includes occupations such as Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, Boat Builder and Repairer, Hairdresser, Pastry Cook, Stonemason and Wool Classer.
How much can I earn?
When you’re qualified you’ll have skills that are in demand – and you’ll probably be paid well for them.
Employers are governed by the National Training Wage Award System. (Special protections exist for young workers under federal workplace law that employers must comply with.)
How much you can earn can depend on how much education or training you already have, your age or skill level. To find out how much you are entitled to earn as a trainee or apprentice, visit the Australian Workplace Authority or call the Workplace Infoline on 1300 363 264.
Future options
An apprenticeship or traineeship can be a great start to your future career. Many apprentices and trainees go on to study further qualifications in management and supervision, for example – and some run their own businesses at an early age.
What’s more, you earn while you learn, rather than build up a HECS debt.
Financial incentives
There are lots of financial incentives provided by government: clothing allowances, free toolkits, travel concessions — even rebates on your car registration — to name just a few.
To find out more about the wide range of financial and other incentives you may be eligible for, go to: Support for current Australian Apprentices
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