VET in Schools Teachers
Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.
| Job Prospects |
Good; employment for this occupation is expected to grow moderately to 2014-15. |
| Salary Range |
$45,000 to $55,000 |
| Brief |
Many qualified secondary teachers are taking on the important role of delivering and assessing Vocational Education and Training (VET) in schools. The majority of government and non government schools in South Australia offer VET programs in a wide range of industry areas.
There are currently around 3,400 vocational education teachers employed in South Australia. Over half are employed full-time and most work in the education industry. Over half of persons in this occupation are male and most are employed in the Adelaide metropolitan area. This occupation has an older age profile with close to two thirds of VET teachers aged 45 years or older. |
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Introduction
Vocational Education and Training (VET) teachers in schools integrate academic and vocational curriculum's in order to equip students for the world of work. The students gain industry experience and nationally recognised training whilst studying towards the Certificate of Education. VET in Schools teachers offer students entry level training in industry areas such as information technology, beauty therapy, hospitality and tourism, metal and engineering trades, animal care, business and administration, retail, agriculture, automotive, community services, building and construction, sport and recreation, aquaculture and viticulture.
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Education Requirements
VET in Schools teachers need to hold the relevant qualifications and experience in their industry area, as well as a teaching qualification. There are 48% of VET Teachers who have Bachelor Degrees or higher qualification; 21% who have either an Advanced Diplomas or a Diplomas, 6% who have no post school qualification.
Career Path
A good match of skills is a qualified teacher who also has industry experience and training. There has been huge growth in VET taught in schools over the past four years with the numbers growing from 600 to more than 15,000 students across the State. Most schools now recognise the growing importance of providing students education options other than the traditional subjects. At the larger secondary schools there may be a team of teachers working in the VET area, whereas in smaller schools some teachers are given the VET role in addition to their regular teaching classes.
Industry
Education
Nature of the Job
VET in Schools teachers coordinate vocational programs to meet student, school and industry sector needs within the guidelines of the Curriculum Council, the Training Accreditation Council, and Training Packages. The school is either registered as an official training provider or the schools may undertake a partnership with other registered training providers. Depending on the school's VET program, students can spend three days a week at school, and up to two days in the workplace or with a registered training provider. Whilst in the workplace, a student undertakes a structured program of workplace learning, which is an accredited subject contributing towards secondary graduation. Some students participate in school based traineeship programs resulting in the achievement of a Certificate II qualification. VET in Schools teachers can take on two distinct roles, either teaching in their field of expertise, whether it be in hospitality, computing or business or a coordination role related to work placements.
Its wonderful to see them blossom, especially because what they have learned here, has been affirmed by industry,'' says an industry professional. Like all teachers, VET in Schools teachers use a wide variety of teaching practices (pedagogy) to present information. This could include simulating work environments, role play, and on line assessment. They may even integrate mainstream subjects like English with the VET curriculum. It is this kind of teaching practice which provides students with the motivation to learn and keep on learning. Many schools mirror the different working environments. They may have a fully operational restaurant and kitchen, trade workshops or offices set up for students to gain valuable on the job experience.
Typical Physical Working Environment
VET lecturers teach courses during the day, at night and on weekends. They need to constantly revise their own knowledge of their subject area and conduct industry and student surveys to ensure that course content and teaching methods are up to date. They should have the appropriate skill, knowledge and experience in their chosen field. They need to be well organised and able to communicate concepts and instructions clearly. VET teachers should also enjoy working with young and older adults and show patience in dealing with students of differing abilities and from different cultures. They should also be aware and accepting of the rights and needs of individual students.
Typical Occupational Example
A major part of this job is structured work placements, being able to match students to placements. This is based on where they live and the stream of hospitality they choose to specialise in. Students are matched to work placements based on a range of criteria, including student and employer needs, travel requirements and the relevancy of work placement to industry. VET in Schools teachers need to keep a database of employers, which is regularly updated for their structured work placements, so that they find the right employers for their students. An essential part of their job is to keep abreast of the changes in their industry, in order to be up to date and effective teachers. Ongoing professional development is part of this, as is the art of networking and liaising with key industry bodies such as training councils. ''We need to be involved with professional organisations and even get on relevant committees. A lot of this needs to be done in your own time, but if you're not prepared to do this, you won't know what's going on in your industry,'' advises Carol. It's also important for VET in Schools teachers to be flexible in the scheduling of class timetables. If a visiting chef happens to come during the maths lesson, then these teachers have to rethink the lesson plan quickly!
Earning Potential
Salaries are identical to those earned in teaching. Teaching salaries begin at $45,000 and go as high as $65,000 per year.
Further Information
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