‘It was a bit of a struggle’: Inspiring student pursues her lifelong passion while still at school

One inspiring and award-winning young woman tells why vocational education shouldn’t be considered Plan B.

“Vocational education doesn’t have to be your plan B, it’s the pathway to your passion.”

This is the message NSW student Amali Rollinson wants her peers to hear.

Amali, 17, a MacKillop College student from Bathurst, is an award-winning school-based apprentice who’s spreading the word about the value of VET.

“I was always the one wanting to do my family’s hair and had a very early interest in hair styling,” she said.

Amali Rollinson receiving flowers after winning her award.

“I was a salon assistant at 14 and knew hairdressing was what I wanted to do, but was a year younger than my peers and wasn’t ready to leave school. I wanted to do year 12 with my friends and enjoy the experiences it provides,” she said.

So she decided to complete a school-based apprenticeship, allowing her to pursue her dreams and still finish school.

“A barrier which I had to overcome was sourcing my own RTO (registered training organisation),” Amali said. “It was a bit of a sruggle but we found The Hair Academy in Queensland who have been excellent.”

Amali was the company’s first-ever school-based apprentice and had to create her own pathway with the support of her teachers at MacKillop College.

Amali Rollinson, 17, at Blush Hair and Beauty Bar where she is doing a school-based apprenticeship.

In year 11 and 12, she started doing one day a week at a Bathurst hair dresser, Blush Hair and Beauty Bar while doing online training and theory with The Hair Academy as well as standard HSC subjects.

She also has her own business, Blush Hair by Amali, and is due to graduate in a few weeks’ time.

In the future Amali would love to travel as a hairdresser doing fashion shows and photoshoots.

“Uni is not the be-all and end-all and you don’t need a degree to be successful,” Amali said. “I am so lucky with the opportunities I’ve had and I’ve had great mentors and teachers,” she said.

“For a lot of kids there is pressure to go to uni and it’s as if this option keeps the world going. We need a fundamental change in the mindset.”

Amali was awarded NSW School-based Trainee of the Year in the Australian Training Awards and is heading to Darwin for the nationals in December.

Her award comes as the number of students engaged in vocational education and training (VET) has increased by 5.8% from 2023, to 266,765 students. VET numbers have increased 55 per cent since the collection of data began in 2006.

Amali Rollinson, 17, from MacKillop College from Bathurst, was awarded NSW School-based Apprentice of the Year at the NSW Training Awards.

In 2024, over one in four students aged 15 to 19 took part in VET programs as part of their senior secondary schooling, highlighting the continued strong demand for vocational learning opportunities.

National Centre for Vocational Education Research managing director John King said VET was “becoming a more popular option for school students who prefer hands-on learning, with more funding and support from government, schools and training providers”.

In 2024, 21,515 VET in Schools students participated in school-based apprenticeships or traineeships, which represented 8.1 per cent of VET in Schools students nationally.

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Originally published as ‘It was a bit of a struggle’: Inspiring student pursues her lifelong passion while still at school