Students entering Preliminary and HSC years at Hastings Secondary College are able to undertake Vocational Education and Training.
(VET) courses with the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to the workplace and gain nationally recognised qualifications as part of, and in addition to, their Higher School Certificate.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses teach industry-specific skills relevant to future study and employment. These courses are competency-based and allow students to gain both HSC qualifications and Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) accreditation. AQF qualifications are recognised by industry and employers throughout Australia and give students advanced standing and credit transfer in the related study at TAFE NSW and other Registered Training Organisations. A work placement component is a compulsory part of all VET Framework courses.
There are thirteen Board Developed VET courses that are based on Industry Training Packages. The courses are designated Board Developed (Category B) for the purposes of the calculation of the ATAR. Students must study the 240-hour course and undertake the optionally written examination to have the course contribute to their ATAR calculation.
Why Choose a VET Course?
Students may choose a VET course or courses for a number of reasons. VET courses:
- Are for everybody irrespective of whether students intend transitioning to university or further training or the workforce. The skills that are learned will benefit you in any career.
- Enable students to commence on a career path in which they are interested for example Construction, Entertainment, Hospitality, Metal and Engineering, Primary Industries, Retail Services and Information and Digital Technology. Students will have a significant advantage when applying for employment, especially with nationally recognised qualifications.
- Help students obtain full-time work after leaving school (or if a job was offered before completing the HSC) and may help in obtaining part-time work whilst studying at university, college or TAFE.
School delivered VET Courses (SVET)
School VET courses include Construction, Entertainment, Hospitality, Metal and Engineering, Primary Industries and Retail Services.
SVET courses:
- Are available in Preliminary and HSC years as part of the HSC
- Provide nationally recognised qualifications
- May contribute to an ATAR
- Are taught by teachers at school
- Are designed for all students
- Enable students to gain/develop work-related skills and increase opportunities for employment
- Are offered in a variety of industry areas.
All courses count towards the HSC and may also count towards an ATAR as a Category B course if the student chooses to complete the final external examination. Many courses also have a specialisation study in the HSC year for further training.
Optional HSC Specialisation Courses in VET
- Business Services - 60 or 120 hours Specialisation available
- Construction - 60 or 120 hours Specialisation available
- Entertainment - 120 hours Specialisation available
- Hospitality - 60 or 120 hours Specialisation available
- Information and Digital Technology - 120 hours Specialisation available
- Metal and Engineering - 60 or 120 hour Specialisation available
- Primary Industries - 60, 120 or 180 hour Specialisation available
- Retail - 60 or 120 hour Specialisation available
Hospitality and Metal and Engineering are delivered utilising the Port Macquarie-Hastings Trade Training Centre facilities located at our college campuses.
Work Placement
School delivered VET courses complete mandatory work placement in a one week block in the Preliminary and HSC years. This involves students being at a workplace for the whole day. Students must undertake to complete missed school lessons whilst attending work placement.
School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATS)
School-based traineeships combine school training and paid work. Students gain three qualifications:
- A nationally recognised vocational qualification
- A Certificate of Proficiency on satisfactory completion of the traineeship
- Credit towards the Higher School Certificate
The School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship Programs provide students with the opportunity to include a recognised VET qualification within their HSC and to combine this with paid work.
- School based apprentices and trainees must complete formal training that is delivered by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). The formal training must meet the requirements of the relevant Vocational Training Order (VTO) for that apprenticeship or traineeship vocation, and leads to a nationally recognised qualification. The formal training component of School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships will contribute unit credit to the HSC.
- School based apprentices and trainees must undertake a minimum of 100 days on-the-job training by 31 December of the year they will complete their HSC. Exceptions to this are apprentices and trainees in the Construction industry, who are required to be in the workplace for 144 days, and Plumbing apprentices and Electrical/Electro-technology trainees and apprentices, who are required to be in the workplace for 180 days. This on-the-job training must be in the form of paid employment as an apprentice or trainee under an appropriate industrial arrangement.
School Based Apprentices are required to:
- Enter into a Training Contract for a nominal duration of generally five years – two years part-time followed by three years full-time post the HSC
- Undertake a minimum requirement of 100 days of paid employment by 31 December of the year they will complete their HSC
- Enrol in a Certificate III AQF qualification level as specified in the Vocational Training Order (VTO)
- Enter into a Training Contract for a term of sufficient duration to allow them to complete their formal training requirements for the HSC as well as the minimum requirement of 100 days of paid employment by 31 December of the HSC year. The minimum term for a school based traineeship is 18 months
- Enrol in a minimum Certificate II AQF qualification level as specified in the Vocational Training Order (VTO).
Becoming a School Based Apprentice or Trainee
- Students must first find an employer interested in hiring them as a school based apprentice or trainee. Once an offer of employment has been made, students must contact their School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship Contact Person - VET Coordinator or Careers Adviser.
- The School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship contact person will then commence the process to seek approval to establish a School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship.
More Information
Students seeking more information regarding SBATs should contact their campus Careers Adviser/VET coordinator
The following website is a key source of information regarding SBATs: