VOCATIONAL EDUCATION & TRAINING

​Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are nationally accredited qualifications. Completing a VET qualification provides increased opportunity for students to connect with industry and school, ensures the focus and content of training is relevant, and that skills are developed to industry standards. VET completion can count towards the completion of SACE and, in certain cases, the calculation of an ATAR.

Students who decide that their career pathway is best achieved through a VET qualification are able to begin by undertaking VET training while, at the same time, studying their SACE. Students also gain employment experience, to be Work-Ready, via the Workplace Learning context of these courses.

Through our school’s involvement in an alliance, students are able to have access to a wider range of VET options at one of the 10 schools in the Inner Southern Area. Students may also access an even wider range of VET options outside of Urrbrae AHS through other regional school clusters, TAFE SA and private RTOs. Information about these options may be obtained from the VET Coordinator.  

​All VET courses have an associated fee.
 
Part-time School-Based Apprenticeships and/or Traineeships (SBAs)
 
If they wish, students may enter into part-time SBAs while still at school either undertaking Stage 1 or Stage 2. This allows them to complete the SACE while, at the same time, commencing an apprenticeship or traineeship and then, on completion of Stage 2, transition straight to work. Many employers prefer their apprentices and trainees to have achieved the SACE before commencing full-time employment, so it is a win-win situation.

​Those who have completed the compulsory components of SACE (English, Maths, English, Maths, Exploring Identities & Futures (PLP) and Activating Identities & Futures (RP))  in Year 11 may participate in the Flexible Apprenticeship Program offered at Urrbrae AHS for Year 12 students. In this program students must have first signed a Contract of Training with an Employer and subsequently attend school one day per week while working four days a week. Two Stage 2 subjects are studied at school and the remainder of the credits necessary for SACE are gained from the conversion of VET Units of Competence into SACE credits according to the formula, 70 Nominal Hours of VET Training completed is equal to 10 SACE credits. Certificate II units generally give credit at Stage 1 and Certificate III units (typically associated with an apprenticeship), give Stage 2 credit. A year 12 student would then need to present 140 hours of completed VET units in order to claim the 20 Stage 2 credits needed for SACE completion.