There are currently seven VET Curriculum Framework course which are accredited for the HSC and provide students with the opportunity to obtain nationally recognised vocational qualification. VET courses are 2 unit courses. The Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) is based on units of competence that have been developed by the various industries to describe the competencies, skills and knowledge needed by workers in that industry. The Framework courses are nationally recognised.
Information applicable to all VET Curriculum Framework Course
Work placement: all VET courses require a minimum of 70 hours workplacement over a 2 year period. Although the work placement organisation may vary, students are usually placed in industry for one week during each of the Preliminary and HSC course.
The successful completion of the VET courses enables the sudent to gain a range of AQF Certifcate 1 and 2 courses.. Some courses also provide Statement of Attainments and allow Credit Transfers.
Course assessment: VET courses are competency based. Students will be progressively assesses as either 'competent' or 'not yet competent'. There is no mark awarded in competency based assessment.
To be assessed as 'competent' the student must demonstrate to a qualified assessor that they can effectively carry out the various tasks. When a student achieves an element of competency it is signed off in a Student Log Book.
Students who are assessed as competent in all units of competency will be eligible fot the AQF Certificate. Those students who are assesses as competent in some units of competency may be eligible for a Statement of Attainment showing partial completion of AQF Certificates.
External Assessment: Students may elect to sit for an external HSC examination in the VET course. This is optional and has no impact on the eligibility of the student to receive the AQF qualification. To include the VET course in the calculation of the ATAR, students are required to sit it for the formal HSC examiination.
VET courses are Category A courses. First course only, if selecting more than one VET course to study.
Not all of the 7 VET Curriculum Frameworks operate at Colo High School. Some are offered at neighbouring schools in the Hawkesbury cluster or at Western Sydney Institute TAFE locations.
Colo High School offers:
The following courses may be accessed via the Hawkesbury Cluster of schools:
5. Primary Industries
6. Business Services