Which Course?
Choosing the right course is very important. There are an enormous amount of courses and training providers out there and your training and course will probably cost you a lot in time and/or money, so take some time, get the information, and consider carefully.
Types of Courses
- Training Package Qualifications and Statements of Attainment
Training Packages are nationally endorsed qualifications and standards used to recognise and assess skills. They are developed via industry consultation to best serve their workforce skills needs. They are used extensively throughout the vocational education and training system including VET in Schools, Australian Apprenticeships and recognition of existing skills.
Training Package Qualifications and Statements of Attainment…- Are nationally recognised
- Are competency based – they assess what someone can do not just what they know
- Can only be issued by a Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) which undergo rigorous Government compliance procedures so that quality is assured
Training Package Qualifications, such as Certificates I – IV, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas, will provide you with the skills and knowledge to work in a particular occupation or at an occupational level. Many, particularly Certificates I – III, can be done through an Australian Apprenticeships
Statements of Attainment demonstrate that you are competent in one or more Units of Competency. Statements of Attainment are usually offered through short courses and can be credited towards a full Qualification.
- Accredited Courses are sometimes available where there is no Training Package to suit a particular training need. Accredited Courses are developed by training organisations and submitted to State and Territory training authorities for accreditation / approval. If, and when, a Training package becomes available the Accredited Course will be phased out.
- Non-recognised Courses. Some providers offer courses without formal recognition. You may gain valuable skills and you may receive some form of certificate but this will not be an endorsed Qualification and industry and most employers will not recognise it.
Make Sure
- Check that the course you want to do is based on a Training Package and will provide you with a nationally recognised Qualification or Statement of Attainment
- Contact the provider and ask them
- Request course information
- Check the provider's website
- Ensure the provider is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and registered to deliver the Qualification, Statement of Attainment or Units of Competency you require – this information is available at the National Training Information Service (NTIS)
Which Registered Training Organisation (RTO)?
There are many Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) out there. There may be several in your area offering the same Qualifications and courses so…
- Shop around – check out all of your options
- Take a look – is there an Open Day? Can you view their facilities?
- Money – apart from fees, are there any 'other' charges e.g. for equipment and materials?
- You want out –- if you discover it's not for you what is the refund policy?
- Recommendation –- can they provide testimonials from past students and employer? What about industry?
Will the course…
- Provide you with practical skills necessary in your future employment?
- Provide work 'placement' to develop your practical skills in-situ?
- Provide both formal and practical Assessment of skills?
Subject Choice
Choice of subjects for Years 11 and 12, those for your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE) (and possibly even Years 9 and 10), is very important. Those choices will determine, at least to some degree, your future study and career options.
So, consider…
- Strengths and weaknesses – no doubt everybody wants to achieve the very highest mark possible in their SSCE. You, and your parent/s or carer/s will hopefully already know what they are. If not then start thinking, and talking about them because your strengths and weaknesses should guide your subject selection.
- Likes and dislikes – we all have our favourite subjects, some we like some we don't. When choosing what to study, apart from keeping in mind any pre-requisites and future career aspirations, it would be advisable to lean towards subjects you enjoy. You will obviously work harder at them and will, in all probability, do well at them.
More to think about…
- Some courses, like engineering, can be very hard to get into, particularly at certain campuses. However it might be easier to enrol in the same course at another institution, for instance at an outer suburban or regional university.
- Some courses also have specific pre-requisite subjects such as maths or sciences for engineering, and they might possibly also have a minimum tertiary entrance score as well, the Cut Off score.
