TAFE Colleges open for 2024 applications on 1 September. Applications close on Friday 3 November.
If you think a VET pathway could lead you to an interesting future, go HERE to find an application form.
Free Course Advice
If you would like to go to TAFE, but you are not certain exactly what to do, get along and see one to the brilliant counsellors at your nearest Jobs and Skills Centre. You can do aptitude tests, check your abilities, chat about what is possible and find the best path for you.
If you want to try to win an apprenticeship, they will tell you how to apply and give you interview tips.
What level will you go into?
CertificateI delivers entry level skills that prepare you for further study. All Certificate I courses deliver literacy, numeracy, computing and life skills. Some provide additional skills, like basic trade skills and occupational health and safety. Certificate I is great for those without OLNA or WACE.
Certificate II is like year 10 in academic difficulty. Some Cert II courses are general, like the Certificate of General Education for Adults and some are more specific like Security Operations and in Health Support Services.
Certificate III is like year 11 academic difficulty. You do a Certificate III to become:
Photo courtesy of Directions TrainingA carpenter (Certificate III Carpentry)
An electrician (Certificate III Electrotechnology Electrician)
A farmhand (Certificate III Agriculture)
A techie (Certificate III Information Technology)
Certificate IV is designed to be a more mature qualification for those with experience or previous qualifications:
A carpenter would go on to do a Cert IV in Building and Construction
An electrician would maybe specialise in a Cert IV in Electrical Instrumentation
A farm manager could do a Cert IV in Agriculture to become a more effective farmer
A techie may specialise in Cert IV in Cyber Security
Pathways to VET for those without their WACE or OLNA
The Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) is designed to enable students to successfully meet the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) literacy and numeracy requirements.
There are several alternative other pathways to TAFE for school students who do not achieve an OLNA.
Certificate I entry level with no qualifications required.
Vocational pathway (VET in schools): school students who complete a vocational course while at school can rely on their school qualification to demonstrate their literacy and numeracy skills i.e. students can achieve an OLNA or a Certificate I, II or III to gain entry to a TAFE course.
TAFE Admissions testing: School students may be eligible to register for TAFE Admissions testing if they have not sat the OLNA at school within the six months preceding TAFE Admissions testing and if they have not exhausted their maximum six attempts at the OLNA while of compulsory school age.
Alternative assessment: students can be referred to the learning area at their preferred TAFE college for a Learning Area Assessment.
Students can enrol at any Certificate I level, as there are no entry requirements, and
Students can enrol into one of the foundation skills and equity courses.
links to more detailed information for each pathway.
What’s good about alternative pathways?
Alternative pathways are frequently free.
As you do the course you find out about uni life and about a range of degrees that are available. You may find out about less expensive ways of doing your degree or about scholarships.
Courses like medicine, which have strict quotas, are not available through alternative pathways, but most courses will be open to you.
Although each course is different there are usually 4 subjects like….
Academic Writing
Research Skills and Information Literacy
Communication Skills
Essential Maths
You will meet new people, talk about courses, costs and career options with them, explore the campus and libraries and get familiar with the uni IT systems.
How to choose a university
Pick a university that you would like to belong to.
Is it close? Are your friends going there? Does it have a great course? Do you like its ranking by past students?
Go to that university and meet with a career advisor. Tell them what you would like to study.
Ask them what is available to help you to meet entry requirements. They will point you to the best course for you, or design one that meets your needs.
