IELTS and VET courses open doors to endless career opportunities
Are you interested in using your IELTS score to learn a new profession? Perhaps you want to study without the stress of university. A Vocational Education and Training (VET) course is a fantastic hands-on option for people looking to jump straight into a rewarding career. They’re focused on practical skills so students are ready to enter the workplace from the moment they graduate.
You can earn several different qualifications through a VET course, such as:
Certificate I, II, III and IV
Diploma
Advanced diploma
Vocational graduate certificate
Where traditional higher education courses tend to be theory-based and take years to complete, VET courses tend to split learning time between theory and practical training. They can take anywhere between six months and three years to complete.
Want to learn more? Here are six of the most popular VET courses and their standard IELTS entry requirements.
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VET Nursing Courses
Nurses have always played an important role in the global medical system, but the demand for qualified health care staff has never been higher. The pandemic put pressure on hospitals and showed just how crucial nurses are to proper patient care. Coupled with Australia’s ageing population, it’s not surprising that the number of Registered Nurses in Australia has risen by more than 35,000 in the last five years – a figure that’s expected to keep increasing.
A Diploma of Nursing qualification can be studied through a VET course. Upon graduating, you will be an Enrolled Nurse. You can then progress to a Registered Nurse with one further year of study.
IELTS requirements:
a minimum IELTS overall score of 7.0* and a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the four components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
*Contact the course provider directly to confirm the IELTS requirements for the course you’re interested in.
Explore VET Nursing and Midwifery courses
VET Information Technology (IT) Courses
If you have a knack for computers or an interest in software programming, a career in Information Technology could be the perfect fit. There are VET courses available in many different IT fields – from cyber security to website development – so you can grow your expertise in an area that interests you and enter the workforce job-ready.
IELTS requirements:
a minimum IELTS overall score of 5.5* and a minimum score of 5.0 in each of the four components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
*Contact the course provider directly to confirm the IELTS requirements for the course you’re interested in.
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VET Early Childhood Education Courses
There aren’t many careers that encourage you to have fun and act silly every day, but Early Childhood Education is one of them. This rewarding field is all about shaping the first few years of a person’s life and teaching them the skills they will need to navigate the world – from sharing to problem-solving.
Early Childhood Education is a great gateway VET course; you can use your qualification as a launch pad to a more advanced position, such as Special Care Teaching, or complete further studies to become a Registered Teacher.
IELTS requirements:
a minimum IELTS overall score of 5.5* and a minimum score of 5.0 in each of the four components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
*Contact the course provider directly to confirm the IELTS requirements for the course you’re interested in.
Explore VET Early Childhood Education courses
VET Community Services Courses
Community Services is an incredibly broad field, with many areas of expertise. Under the general umbrella of Community Services, there are VET courses in social work, health promotion, youth work and many more.
It’s an ideal option if you know you’d like to use your career to give back to others or your community, but you’re not sure which area you want to specialise in. The demand for these sorts of roles only continues to grow, so it’s a very safe path to take. A course in Community Services will teach you many useful skills, including advocacy, interpersonal communication and crisis management, among many others.
IELTS requirements:
a minimum IELTS overall score of 5.5* and a minimum score of 5.0 in each of the four components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
*Contact the course provider directly to confirm the IELTS requirements for the course you’re interested in.
Explore VET Community Services courses
VET Automotive Courses
Do you have a knack for cars and an interest in what makes them move? The Automotive industry is full of opportunities for anyone with an IELTS score above 5.5 and a willingness to get their hands dirty.
Most TAFEs and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) across Australia offer Automotive courses; some are designed to introduce students to vehicle maintenance and repair, while others are more theory-based and focused on technical aspects like mechanical technology.
IELTS requirements:
a minimum IELTS overall score of 5.5* and a minimum score of 5.0 in each of the four components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
*Contact the course provider directly to confirm the IELTS requirements for the course you’re interested in.
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VET Commercial Cookery Courses
Most people can cook well enough to get by, but few have what it takes to thrive in a professional kitchen. If you’re excited by the idea of cooking every day and working in a fast-paced environment, Commercial Cookery could be the course for you.
Commercial kitchens are one place that will always depend on talented people. Qualified staff – from line cooks to sous chefs – are in demand in many different settings. Beyond restaurants, there is a constant need for experienced cooks at hospitals, schools, nursing homes, hotels and catering companies.
IELTS requirements:
a minimum IELTS overall score of 5.5* and a minimum score of 5.0 in each of the four components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
*Contact the course provider directly to confirm the IELTS requirements for the course you’re interested in.
Explore VET Commercial Cookery courses
Vocational Education and Training (VET) can get you working in Australia
University isn’t the right path for everyone. While some people love the traditional higher-education space, others work better by spending more time learning by experience in a practical setting. If you are one of these people, there may be a VET course that matches your interests.
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