Australia

Tertiary Education Information in Australia (From Karen Nicholas):

The Australian Education system is divided into K-12 and Tertiary Education. Tertiary encompasses both vocational education (the green box) and Higher Education (the blue box). Our qualifications framework enables pathways between the sectors, which means that a Green School student can look to alternative pathways to direct university entry and effectively bypass the ranking system.

My organisation is a registered training organisation (RTO), and we have scope to deliver a whole range of qualifications up to Advanced Diploma plus one that is higher and actually at post grad level (organisational development qual). Sometimes the schools (orange) also deliver vocational qualifications. Sometimes universities deliver vocational qualifications, and TAFE’s (polytechnic’s) and RTO’s like ours can do some university level quals too.

When you do a direct degree entry, you have the scoring system and need to rank. Entry is given mostly based on scores and done through third parties so the uni doesn’t even get a look in on outstanding kids unless they rank. But what many people don’t know because the universities don’t advertise it, is that you can do for example a Diploma qualification, then get the first year credited off your degree and enter uni at your second year. RTO’s and TAFE’s don’t use a scoring system for entry so entry is easier, and often the qualification is cheaper than the equivalent year in the university.

This relies on the RTO like us, having negotiated a credit arrangement with a university for a particular qualification. Totally doable if we have the right conversations.

So a great pathway for a GS student depending on what they want to study, is something like a Cert IV in Business (general or entrepreneurship) done at school then a Diploma of Business in the 6 months between when they finish school and starting the new academic year in January, that gives them direct entry to university.