VET (Vocational) Courses

What is VET?

Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are focused on providing practical skills for real jobs and employment. It is a popular choice for students who wish to start a career in a specific industry.

VET courses are offered from Cert IV to Advanced Diploma levels and they cover a very wide range of industries and professions. Some of the more popular ones for international students include:

  • Commercial cookery and patisserie
  • Hospitality and tourism
  • Early childhood
  • Automotive
  • Electronics
  • Carpentry
  • Hairdressing
  • Welding

VET courses are also available for more traditional disciplines such as business, IT and engineering.

Is VET a good choice for me?

VET courses are ideal for students looking to gain practical skills and qualifications to enter the workforce for a specific industry. The skills and training offered within VET courses are often not provided by universities, as they are more theory-based. For example, if you aspire to be a chef, then a VET course and qualification will be ideal for you.

Other benefits of VET courses include:

  • High chance of employment after graduation
  • Lower tuition fees on average
  • Lower entry requirements than universities (both academic and English requirements are generally lower)
  • Smaller class sizes
  • Opportunity to progress to higher education on completion (some universities may give credit towards their Bachelor’s degree based on your VET qualification).

Where are VET courses offered?

VET courses are offered by both public and private institutions in Australia. All are regulated by the government to ensure the qualifications are nationally recognised and meet a certain level of quality.

In Australia, Technical and Further Education (TAFE) is the largest public provider of vocational courses.

This includes:

  • TAFE NSW
  • TAFE Queensland
  • TAFE Tasmania
  • TAFE Western Australia
  • TAFE South Australia
  • Holmesglen TAFE
  • Sunraysia Institute of TAFE
  • Gordon TAFE
  • Box Hill TAFE
  • And more…

ACIC is the official representative for all TAFE institutes across every state and city in Australia. We also represent 100+ private institutions offering a variety of VET courses. Talk to us for the full range of institutes and courses available.

A Pathway to University Studies

A final important note to students is that some VET courses can lead to university studies at a Bachelor’s level. Not only can students enter university based on their VET qualifications, some universities may also offer credits towards a related Bachelor’s degree.

For more on VET pathway to universities, please talk to an ACIC consultant who can help you plan the right program and study path.