A proven pathway to jobs of the future

With tertiary qualifications for most industries experiencing jobs booms, vocational education and training (VET) is a smart choice for school-leavers looking for well-paid jobs and a fulfilling long-term career. 

VET

With tertiary qualifications for most industries experiencing jobs booms, vocational education and training (VET) is a smart choice for school-leavers looking for well-paid jobs and a fulfilling long-term career. 

The Hunter Valley-based pilot and engineer first learned to fly as a teenager, spending money he earnt in his part-time job on weekend lessons. A qualified pilot at 17, Toby then chose to pursue an engineering apprenticeship through vocational education and training (VET). Now Chief Pilot, Executive Officer and Head of Airworthiness and Aircraft Maintenance Control for Blue Sky Airways, the 29-year-old credits his grandfather for his love of aviation and VET for delivering the skills needed to turn his passion into a career.

TRAINING FOR JOBS OF THE FUTURE

Tertiary qualifications are vital for today’s school-leaver—over 90% of all new jobs will require a certificate, diploma or degree-level training. With more than 780 VET courses subsidised by the NSW Government, VET is a proven tertiary pathway to well-paid jobs in a range of careers, including in high tech sectors like engineering, digital technologies and aviation.

Toby, who is based at Cessnock airport, looks after the day-to-day operations of Blue Sky’s fleet of 8, 10 and 14-seat aircraft, and schedules maintenance required to keep the planes airworthy.

“The regulatory compliance stuff—that’s the part of this job that follows on from my VET training,” he says. “A lot of people who hold chief pilot roles don’t really have an understanding of the engineering requirements. We liaise with three different maintenance organisations, so when they’re saying something is wrong with your plane, you can look at it with them and actually understand the problem.”

A PATHWAY TO WELL-PAID CAREERS

Engineering can be a lucrative field. On average, aircraft maintenance engineers earn around $85,000 a year. Qualified engineering managers, who work across many sectors, take home more than $120,000, with very strong jobs growth predicted. A Certificate IV in Engineering through VET is an ideal start.

Available as a course, traineeship or fee-free apprenticeship, VET qualifications are nationally recognised and deliver practical, on-the-job experience alongside key employability skills such as communication, problem-solving and digital technology, which are vital at every career stage.

“I’m not working as an engineer now,” says Toby, “but I’m using all the skills I gained through VET. I’ve become a central point for the company and can tie the different roles together.”

“There are many other options than going to uni—you can even get your pilot’s license now through VET,” he continues. “You can end up with a well paying and enjoyable career.”

VET OPENS DOORS TO OPPORTUNITY

VET is also a proven pathway to other industries expected to record jobs booms, including health care and social assistance, where some 250,000 new jobs are expected in the next few years, construction and infrastructure, with almost 119,000 new jobs expected, and education and training, with 113,000.

For Newcastle-based Aiden Stirling, choosing a VET traineeship was the smart way to gain the skills and on-the-job experience he needs to secure lasting employment in the aged care sector. Aiden’s traineeship, through Joblink Plus and Anglican Care, sees him earn a wage while he’s learning, and offers an 80% chance of securing employment after graduation.

Now five months into his Certificate III in Individual Support, Aiden sees a key advantage as, “getting paid on the job while you learn. It’s a little extra money while you are studying and you get to learn on the job.”

VET has also given the 25-year-old a true understanding of the scope and potential of a career in aged care, and what the work involves. “At first I thought it was a bit daunting, as it wasn’t something I’ve done before,” he says. “Now, the most satisfying thing is having the interactions with all the residents that I look after. Seeing the smiles on their faces every time I come into work—you can’t beat that!”

Originally published as A proven pathway to jobs of the future