Brighton Secondary College students are among hundreds of thousands around the nation joining the VET trades boom
Chelsea Hermus, 16, is among a rapidly growing number of Aussie students trading in tuition for a tool bag as demand for hands-on skills surges. Here’s why.
Sixteen-year-old Chelsea Hermus already knows her future is on the tools.
The year 10 student at Brighton Secondary College in Melbourne dreams of becoming a qualified sparky to one day take over her dad’s company, and she’s wasting no time getting there.
Through a vocational pathway at school, Chelsea has been accepted into a small intake electro technology course, giving her a headstart on her trade qualification and earning her the affectionate nickname “lady tradie”.
“I chose electrotechnology because I enjoy very hands-on and practical work instead of just theory,” she said.
“I did a week of work experience this year with my dad at his company and it really gave me a clear view of what I wanted to do.
“This course opens up a lot of pathways, like being an apprentice electrician, but also I could go into different areas like electrotechnology if I want to be a lift mechanic.”
Chelsea is one of thousands of Victorian students driving a boom in vocational education and training enrolments.
More than 57,000 Victorian school students were enrolled in VET courses last year, almost 6000 more than in 2021, according to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research.
The pattern of increased interest is reflected around the nation.
Year 11 student Finn Hunter says he chose to combine his VCE subjects with a certificate in early childhood education because “theory only takes you so far.”
Finn said he is aiming to continue through to university, but feels having hands-on experience gives him a competitive edge.
“My year 6 teacher was such a big influence on my life and my decisions and I just wanted to be that for someone else, for the future generation really,” he said.
“Early childhood education was the best gateway option for primary school teaching.
“Theory only takes you so far, the element of actual practice, like placement, that’s going to really set you apart from all the other candidates in future jobs.”
VET is now the primary qualification pathway for new workers in eight of the 19 industries projected to have the highest demand by 2034, including health care, construction and education.
Brighton Secondary College Assistant Principal Pennie Whiteman said the school has seen a clear rise in interest in vocational education.
“Definitely we’ve got more students choosing VET as part of their program, and the big thing for us is that families and students are now realising how valuable it is to get real-world skills,” she said.
“Finn’s pathway, given that he’s also doing VCE and will likely gain direct entry into university, gives him that experience to try early childhood and see if that suits.
“For Chelsea, she’s selected a pathway that’s highly likely to open up doors for apprenticeships or even further study.
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Originally published as Brighton Secondary College students are among hundreds of thousands around the nation joining the VET trades boom
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