TAFE – Workplace Learning

You may have heard the following terms mentioned when talking with other parents or students; VET Certificate – Vocational Education and Training – TAFE – Cert II – Workplace Learning.

The following will hopefully help you understand why these terms are mentioned and why it is an important part of Senior School at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School.

What is VET?
VET stands for Vocational Education and Training. It is an educational system that any person, young or old, can train in to obtain a certificate. Each certificate is associated with an industry such as Hospitality, Business, Sport & Recreation, Automotive, Engineering etc… and there are various levels at which you can study at; Certificate I, Certificate II, Certificate III and so on. Each level is directly associated with a particular job within that industry.

You may associate a certificate as being a TAFE certificate, as TAFE is the institute most people would consider. However, TAFE it is not the only place to study to become accredited. Students can also study at privately owned institutes called Registered Training Organisations (RTO) to gain certification.

General Pathway students MUST complete a Certificate II as part of their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) requirements to graduate. It is optional for ATAR Pathway students.

https://senior-secondary.scsa....

On completion of a Certificate II, students will receive 4 C’s towards their WACE.

At PMACS there are 4 ways you can study a certificate.

1. In class at School

The following examples are certificates that our teachers teach in class;

Year 10

  • BSB10115 Certificate I in Business
  • CUA20215 Certificate II in Creative Industries (2-year course)

Year 11

  • BSB20115 Certificate II in Business
  • SIS20513 Certificate II in Sports Coaching
  • MEM20413 Certificate II Engineering Pathways (2-year course)
  • CUA20715 Certificate II Visual Arts (2-year course)

Year 12

  • BSB20115 Certificate II in Business
  • SIS20115 Certificate II in Sport & Recreation

Students can choose to study one of these courses during subject selection or when changing subjects.

2. Via TAFE 1 or 2 days a week whilst still at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School

Every year the School advertises courses that are government-funded on our Careers Noticeboard.

https://www.petermoyes.wa.edu....

These courses are taught at TAFE, 1 or 2-day(s) a week whilst you study General Pathway subjects at School on the other days.

These courses tend to be at a higher level than those taught at School or are in an industry area that is more appropriately taught at TAFE, such as Building and Construction.

Year 10 and Year 11 students must follow the TAFE application process should they wish to apply for any of these courses the year before they enter Year 11 or 12.

3. Through an RTO or Fee for Service course at TAFE^

If students are unsuccessful in their TAFE application in government-funded courses or the course they want is not on offer, families can choose to pay for courses with an RTO or TAFE. These courses must be offered either online or in the same format as a 1 or 2 day(s) a week TAFE course. These courses are called Fee for Service. An example is Certificate II in Animal Studies.

4. School Based Traineeship or Apprenticeship (SBT/SBA)

Every year the School advertises SBT/SBA on our Careers Noticeboard. Should you wish to investigate SBT’s/SBA’s further you will find information on the workplaces website. Students will gain ‘on the job’ training towards a certificate whilst being paid. These are usually 1 or 2 days a week and can sometimes be after Schools hours. McDonalds, City Beach and Reece Plumbing are examples of workplaces that offer SBT/SBA.

Workplace Learning (ADWPL)*

In additional to VET Certificates students can choose to go on a workplace-learning placement. Some placements are part of their course. 

“Workplace Learning is an Authority-developed endorsed program that is managed by individual schools. To complete this endorsed program, a student works in one or more paid or unpaid workplace/s to develop a set of transferable workplace skills. The student must record the number of hours completed and the tasks undertaken in the workplace in the Authority’s Workplace Learning Logbook. The student must also provide evidence of his/her knowledge and understanding of the workplace skills by completing the Authority’s Workplace Learning Skills Journal after each 55 hours completed in the workplace.” 

https://senior-secondary.scsa....

Should a student complete all requirements of this endorsed program they will receive a C grade for every 55 hours they complete in the workplace.

As a VET Certificate is also deemed an endorsed program, students can receive up to a maximum of 8 C’s gained form a combination of VET Certificates and/or Workplace Learning for graduation purposes.

^NOTE: SCSA does not recognise all accredited courses for WACE graduation. 
https://senior-secondary.scsa....

*NOTE: Only General Pathway students can complete workplace learning as a 1 day a week placement 

Jessica Hammett (Year 11) has been working in a hair salon since the beginning of the year, whilst completing her ADWPL. After approaching Mr Wright regarding her career options for next year and beyond, she decided to apply for a 1 day a week TAFE course in hairdressing. She has successful gained entry into this course for next year and will be receiving 4 C’s from her ADWPL placement in 2018. 

Demi Westlund (Year 11) and Ella Yates (Year 11) parents investigated courses in Education Support. They found a placement with the RTO, FEC and are now a few weeks away from completing their Certificate III. During this course, they worked 1 day a week at Beaumaris Primary School. Both students have already applied and have successfully secured a Fee for Service placement in the Certificate IV for Term 4 and Year 12.  

Post School Career Pathways

Students can continue VET Certificate studies, join the workforce and/or apply for university via alternative entry into university when they obtain their WACE.

University Alternative Entry
You must apply directly with the university to gain a place in these programs. Here are the links;

ECU
http://www.ecu.edu.au/future-s...

Murdoch University
www.murdoch.edu.au/Future-stud... 

Curtin University
http://futurestudents.curtin.e... 

Notre Dame University
www.nd.edu.au/fremantle/alt-en... 

For more information about Careers and VET, please contact Mr Wright on twright@pmacs.wa.edu.au 

Written by Toby Wright, Careers and Vocational Education Coordinator