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Vocational Education and Training forms an important part of specialised
programs in Catholic schools and becomes highly relevant when completed
in workplace contexts. The range of programs is summarised below.
Work Experience
This is typically offered in year 10 and generally has a duration of
a week or so. Its main aims are work introduction and orientation and
are not connected to specified skills outcomes nor units of competency.
Structured Workplace Learning
This is currently a Curriculum Council subject and typically has a
duration of an extended time period of a semester or the whole year.
Students may complete SWL one day a week, in blocks of time or a mixture
of both. There is a specified skills list which embeds a range of more
general competencies and employability skills as well as skills with
a particular industry focus. Category One SWL involves the coverage
of units of competency within the SWL program. This would typically
occur if students were seeking to complete a full certificate in which
the training Package requirements specified an industry context. Category
Two SWL involves coverage of the specified skills list only.
Units of Competency
Most schools deliver units of competency and full certificates which
are embedded within school subjects. This can occur where there are
no Training Package requirements for a workplace context.
Traineeships and Apprenticeships
A number of students seek to enrol in school based traineeships or
apprenticeship link programs such as the School Apprenticeship Link
(SAL) program in the building and related trades. Students attend on
and off-the-job training typically for a minimum of two days per week.
Career Development and Enterprise Education
The outcomes of career development programs and transition support
services are to ensure that all students are equipped and supported
to:
- make informed choices about learning, work and life opportunities
and take personal responsibility for those choices
- develop, implement, review and adapt action strategies to optimise
learning, work and life choices; and
- access relevant and timely information and networks
All of the above programs are available in most Catholic schools.
Students interested in participating in such programs should make direct
contact with the VET coordinator in the respective school in the first
instance.
Alternative contacts are:
John Nelson, Senior Secondary Consultant on 9212 9366
Dr Peter Carey, Consultant for Career Development & Transition Support
Services on 9212 9243
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