Gain insights and experience within an industry you’re interested in working in, and get ahead in your career with VET DSS. Programs are offered over two years, and contribute to your overall VCE or VCE Vocational Major requirements. You need to be at least 15 years old and in Year 10, 11 or 12 to join.
You attend campus once a week and in some cases, this is supported by work placement or structured workplace learning, to further enhance skills and provide opportunities for employment.
Having a VET DSS qualification helps you to pathway into an apprenticeship, traineeship or employment, and best of all, when you have finished school – you can fast track into another course in the same area or we will help you choose an area of interest. Sometimes, subjects at school may not be of interest to you. So once a week, come to SWTAFE and gain practical skills, employability skills and build your confidence.
Just remember there is no right or wrong reason to do VET DSS. In partnership with your school, we are helping to prepare you to start thinking about your future and the endless possibilities available to you.
The course options are broad and include:
If you participate in a VET DSS course, it becomes an integrated part of your VCE. Some courses include a VCE study score component, so you can receive a study score like you do for other VCE subjects. You can achieve excellent results via VET DSS studies which can actually improve your VCE result and boost your ATAR score.
Any programs that are ‘non-scored’, provide an additional 10 per cent increment towards your ATAR scores.
You can finish school and already have credits that can count towards continued study with TAFE, providing a great head start on future education, an apprenticeship or traineeship.
The costs for each program is determined by your school, so you will need to ask your school VET DSS coordinator for information on fees.
Each VET DSS program has some costs, beyond the course fees, to cover materials. These costs are paid directly to Campions Bookstore. Your school will provide you with a SWTAFE resource pack prior to the course commencing. These costs vary by course, and range from $10 to $330, depending on course requirements.
You can find specific information on materials costs for each course under the ‘Admin’ tab on our website
We make it our business to know what local industries are looking for. As a result, all our courses are designed to replicate actual work situations and our trainers have extensive knowledge of the industry.
Our campus facilities provide training in a real or simulated industry environment – like an automotive workshop, a hairdressing salon, a hospital ward, or restaurant.
You receive practical training from our teachers who are motivated, passionate and professional.
We prepare you for the real workplace by providing curriculum, facilities and training that is relevant to actual job requirements; so all of our graduates are job-ready.
Visit the VET DSS website for more information then speak to your school VET DSS coordinator, as all enrolments are managed by your school – along with any fees and general administration of your participation.
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships allow high school students to start an apprenticeship or complete a traineeship while still at school.
On average, a minimum of one day a week is spent on the job with an employer, plus a portion of the school holidays. For the rest of the school week, you complete the South West TAFE component of your training as well as your other VCE or VCE Vocational Major subjects.
As a school-based apprentice, you undertake the first stage of your formal or off-the-job apprenticeship training at school.
After completing Year 12, you can commence full-time employment as a second-year apprentice provided that you have successfully completed the training program while at school.
School-based apprenticeships are offered in a range of areas including automotive, beauty therapy, construction, plumbing, hairdressing and hospitality and many more.
If you participate in a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, you are more work-ready, increase your participation in learning and make a better transition to work and further study.
An apprenticeship or traineeship provides you with an opportunity to:
Visit the apprenticeships and traineeships page or call 1300 648 911 to speak to one of our apprenticeship officers.
