Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Whilst remaining at school to study for their HSC, with all the benefits that this provides, Trinity also allows students’ broader options, offering them the opportunity to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in vocational areas of interest through Vocational Education and Training (VET), School Based Apprenticeship and Training (SBAT) and EVET programs.

The programs offered at Trinity include:

  • VET Hospitality (VETHOS) – Certificate II in Commercial Cookery
  • VET Primary Industries (VETPI) – Certificate II in Agriculture and Certificate II in Rural Operations
  • School Based Apprenticeship and Training (SBAT)
  • EVET (Externally delivered HSC VET Courses)
  • Vocational programs allow students the unique opportunity to balance their goals beyond school while also achieving an HSC qualification.

VET courses are:

  • Designed to meet industry training needs
  • Supported by industry in curriculum design and course delivery
  • Derived from national training standards
  • Based on national training curriculum
  • Written and assessed in competency-based terms
  • Designed to provide clearly defined pathways through to the workplace
  • Accredited by both NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) and ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority), resulting in students achieving dual accreditation

VET courses are competency based. In a competency-based course, assessment of competencies is standards referenced. This means that a student’s performance is judged against a prescribed standard, not against the performance of other students. The standards are determined by both NESA and ASQA, with a focus on industry requirements.

The purpose of assessment is to judge competence on the basis of performance against the performance criteria set down in the course and is at no time graded or given a mark. A student is judged either ‘competent’ or ‘not yet competent’. To be regarded as competent a student must be able to apply learnt skills and knowledge in a variety of situations. Students are provided with a number of opportunities to develop competence in the units studied throughout the course.

For HSC purposes, VET Industry Curriculum Framework courses may also be examined in a similar way to other HSC subjects, via a formal HSC examination which carries an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank) value of 2 Units. Students have the option to choose to sit for the HSC in their VET subject or not. Either way, they will be awarded recognition of the units which they have achieved. This provides VET students with the opportunity to attain a dual accreditation of (i) 2 Units towards their HSC, as well as (ii) a Certificate II in the VET course studied, or a Statement of Attainment towards the Certificate or further studies in the chosen area.

VET programs provide students with options and Trinity VET students have a strong record of achievement in both the VET program undertaken and in their HSC results.