There are around 5000 RTOs in Australia.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) is learning that provides you with the skills and knowledge you need to enter and succeed in the workforce in your chosen field or area of interest. VET covers many careers and industries such as health, construction, hospitality and retail.
A VET qualification is a formal certification awarded by a training provider to recognise the successful completion of a work-related and skills-based education program.
There are eight types of VET qualifications:
- Certificate I
- Certificate II
- Certificate III
- Certificate IV
- Diploma
- Advanced Diploma
- Graduate Certificate
- Graduate Diploma
Benefits of Choosing a VET Pathway:
Some of the benefits of choosing to start your career in health with a VET qualification include:
- Some qualifications can be commenced and completed during your senior years at school.
- You gain hands-on practical experience and interpersonal skills (highly valued by future employers!)
- VET is affordable and gives you industry exposure.
- VET pathways allow you to develop skills and knowledge which are transferable. This means, that while you may learn these skills and knowledge while in a health qualification, you will then be able to apply them in a different field or industry. An example of this might be to start out with a VET qualification which allows you to become an occupational therapy assistant. This would give you the flexibility to work in both the rehabilitation and disability sectors.
- You can study while being paid to learn through a traineeship or apprenticeship – with on-the-job learning complementing your study. There is also the opportunity to gain some of your qualification through Recognition of Prior Learning (ask your Guidance Officer or Career Advisor about this).
A subsidy is money paid by the government to an RTO to reduce, or in some cases, fully cover training fees.
Who offers VET training?
Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are training providers which have been registered by the Australian Skills Quality
Authority (ASQA) to deliver vocational education and training services.
Only RTOs can deliver nationally recognised and accredited VET qualifications and can receive Australian, State and Territory funding.
Be aware there are some training organisations that are not registered and so are not regulated. Visit www.skillsgateway.training.qld.gov.au to search all registered training providers.
Where can I find an RTO that offers the course I am interested in?
There are two excellent resources you can access:
- The My Skills website is a national directory of VET courses and training organisations: www.myskills.gov.au
- The Queensland Skills Gateway website provides information on VET in Queensland: www.skillsgateway.training.qld.gov.au.
These websites provide detailed information about individual courses including course duration, fees, training providers, student outcomes and potential employment opportunities.
Is there any financial assistance for VET training?
The Australian and State and Territory Governments offer financial assistance and may subsidise training to help VET students with tuition fees.
The Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training website provides information on what funding is available. Visit www.desbt.qld.gov.au/training/training-careers/incentives.
