eyes on VET

Welcome to another edition of Eyes on VET! 

This term is such an exciting one for our Year 10 students, who have been receiving a lot of information about Senior School pathway options for 2026. 

On Tuesday, 1st April, a VET Connect Information Evening was held at the school in the

 Performing Arts Centre. It was great to have this session so well attended by students and parents/guardians. The highlight of the evening was having current Year 12 VET Connect students participate in a Student Guest Speaker Panel, where they shared their journey and achievements to date in the program. Congratulations to Leeshani Colomba Thanthrige, Nate Fogarty, Mitch McDonald, Ella Nordon-Ramsay, Boston Peden, Kai Sage and Karla Sulenta for being such hard working students who are wonderful ambassadors for the VET Connect program. 

On Wednesday, 9th April, a workshop will be held for students who identified an interest in VET Connect, General, P2C or are still unsure about which pathway to take in Senior School. A group of current Year 12 VET Connect and P2C students will speak about their external courses and work placements, demonstrating the very diverse opportunities possible through VET programs at our school. 

VET Connect applications will open in Term 2 on Monday 5 May, and application forms will be available from the VET Office and in Connect. I look forward to reviewing all the applications when they close on Friday 16 May. Students are encouraged to visit the VET Office if they have any questions. I wish all the applicants the best with their applications. (Star in attachment to be put in here) 

Having to make decisions about which courses to select for their final years of school can be a daunting task for students, especially when there are so many viable options available, including VET, General and ATAR pathways. However, it is a wonderful opportunity to start taking some real steps in future career planning. 

I wish you all the best for a relaxing holiday and Happy Easter. 

Spotlight on the VET healthConnect Program and partnership with SM TAFE to deliver a Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies 

The VET healthConnect program is a new program designed for students with an interest in a career in the health sector. Plans are in progress for a partnership between SM TAFE and Applecross Senior High School, where a Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies will be delivered at our school over two years, at no cost to students. The program offers a joint school, industry and training partnership, with students working towards secondary graduation while gaining valuable workplace learning. Students completing this qualification will not only gain the knowledge and skills to comfortably transition into studying an area in the health industry but will also find themselves well-placed for entry to TAFE for further training or alternative entry to some universities. 

The VET healthConnect program requires students to attend school four days a week (Monday to Thursday) and attend a work placement of their choice on Friday. On Thursday, students will be undertaking training in the Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies. 

The application process to gain a position in the VET healthConnect Program involves submitting an application form to the VET Office and being invited to attend an interview with SM TAFE trainers. Students will also need to sit an LLN test designed specifically for the Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies. 

Students interested in the VET healthConnect Program can pop into the VET Office for further information. 

Watch this space for further updates about this exciting possibility!

Snapshots around the workplace… 

Year 12 Connect and P2C Students for volunteering their time at the VET Connect Information sessions and for being wonderful ambassadors for the VET Connect program.

 …Campbell Baldacchino (Year 11 General) on being offered a place in the VET Connect program. 

…Alex Godwood (former Year 11 VET Connect) on starting his full-time apprenticeship in welding and metal fabrication at Active Discovery, where he was undertaking Workplace Learning. Alex sent me a photo of his first day at work. Well done, Alex! 

Please keep your eyes on VET in the next Parent Update. 

Melinda Kennington, VET Manager