VET opportunities grow with new QCE

The number of students taking on Vocational Education and Training as part of their senior schooling is expected to jump with the inclusion of some VET qualifications as an option in the calculation of the ATAR.

Queensland Catholic Education Commission Executive Director Dr Lee-Anne Perry said almost half the students who completed Year 12 at a Catholic secondary school in 2019 received a VET qualification. 

Dr Perry said Catholic schools strongly supported VET options for all students and more than 3700 Year 12 students at Catholic schools achieved VET qualifications in 2019 while 772 Year 12s were enrolled in School Based Apprenticeships or Traineeships.

“From 2020 we will see VET qualifications at Certificate III level or above able to be counted towards an ATAR.”

“That opens doors for many students who might want to take a pathway to university that is built on a range of capabilities and could include a VET qualification.”

Dr Perry said in 2019 in Queensland Catholic schools almost 2100 Year 12 students received either a Certificate III or Certificate IV.

“We’re seeing a trend with students taking on the higher–level VET qualifications. 

“VET also offers students another way to acquire some of those important global competencies and 21st century skills that they will need whatever career they take on.

“The skills students develop in areas such as innovation, entrepreneurship and problem solving prepare them to take on future workforce demands.”

Dr Perry said for many students VET was also a way to acquire skills that would help them find a job in their local area.

“If you live in a mining area or a tourism area, being able to develop skills at school that would be useful in a local industry where there is ongoing demand for those skills gives students real and immediate career options.”