The School Pathways to VET Award recognises eligible organisations including schools, registered training organisations, group training organisations, industry bodies and employers that have collaboratively delivered one (or more) excellent VET programs to secondary school students.
Eligibility criteria for the Australian Training Awards
Nominees must:
- meet the Australian Training Awards Conditions of Entry requirements
- have delivered VET programs to secondary school students between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2023
- submit their nomination here.
Note: The VET programs must be based on national training packages or accredited courses that lead to qualifications or statements of attainment under the Australian Qualifications Framework.
Note: Only one nomination can be submitted for each collaboration.
Selection criteria
Criterion 1: Leading practice in vocational education and training
Criterion 2: Strategic planning processes
Criterion 3: Student and staff focus
Criterion 4: Employer and community focus
Preparing your nomination
Nominations are to be submitted by direct entry to the Australian Training Awards here.
Section A: Overview
This information will not be considered or used for judging purposes, but it may be used as a summary of your organisation throughout the Awards process.
Organisational Details
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Number of key partners* involved in your collaboration |
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Number of VET programs offered through your collaboration |
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Number of students enrolled in the VET programs |
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Number of VET students that have transitioned into further education or training (in the year preceding the Awards) |
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Number of VET students that have transitioned to employment |
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Length of time your collaboration has been operational (years) |
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*A ‘key partner’ is an organisation that is actively involved in your strategic planning processes.
Organisation Summary
Provide a brief description of your collaboration, including the reasons why you are applying for this award.
(Limit: 500 words)
Section B: Nominees will be judged against the following selection criteria:
Criterion 1: Leading practice in vocational education and training
Criterion 2: Strategic planning processes
Criterion 3: Student and staff focus
Criterion 4: Employer and community focus
Addressing the selection criteria
This information will be considered and used for short listing and judging purposes. Your responses to the selection criteria will be strengthened by the inclusion of measurable results and appropriate indicators (including customer satisfaction data and other types of external validation data).
The role of each collaborating organisation should be made clear within the application, including how each organisation supports improved outcomes for secondary school students.
The selection criteria should be the focus of the nomination. Up to ten (10) single A4 pages of relevant evidence may be provided. Attachments exceeding 10 pages will not be considered.
In developing your nomination, you may wish to take into account the considerations below.
Note: considerations are not additional selection criteria, but are provided to clarify what may be relevant to include when writing a response for each criteria.
Criterion 1: Leading practice in vocational education and training
How does your school implement VET? For example, you may consider:
- how you integrate VET within the general school learning environment, and how you ensure this links with nationally recognised training and employment opportunities
- how you support the development of foundation (employability) skills
- how you demonstrate ‘innovation’ in the structure, content and delivery of your VET programs
- the unique elements of your VET programs (i.e. those elements that set you apart from other schools and training organisations)
- the capacity of your VET programs to be duplicated by other schools and training organisations (and the systems you have developed to enable this).
(Limit 800 words)
Criterion 2: Strategic planning processes
How does your school plan, coordinate and resource VET? For example, you may consider:
- the extent to which you take labour market needs and industry skill requirements into account in your planning activities
- how you prepare a flexible curriculum and timetable to allow for structured workplace learning, school-based apprenticeships, enterprise-based activities and employment programs
- how you promote VET (both internally and externally)
- how you engage with ongoing VET policy reforms
- the range of resources you use for VET, and how you acquire and manage these resources
- how you ensure the sustainability of your VET programs.
(Limit 800 words)
Criterion 3: Student and staff focus
How does your school measure the success of VET? For example, you may consider:
- how you collect and analyse data on student progress, transitions and completions
- the impact of your VET programs on students who may (in some way) be marginalised
- how you meet the training requirements and professional development needs of your staff
- the benefits your VET programs have delivered to your school community.
(Limit 800 words)
Criterion 4: Employer and community focus
How does your school establish collaborative VET partnerships? For example, you may consider:
- the collaborative partnerships you have developed to ensure students have access to excellent and high quality VET programs
- the impact your VET programs have had on local employers and the broader community
- the level of support your VET programs have from local employers and the broader community
- how your VET programs have expanded the availability of training pathways, in particular for the broader community
- how you review the effectiveness of your VET programs.
(Limit 800 words)