Since 2017, St John XXIII Catholic College has been working to break down the traditional, linear approach to education. They do this by offering year 9 students the opportunity to enrol in various VET courses to get a head start on their career pathways, including Certificate II in Hospitality and Certificates III in Accounts Administration, Business, and Live Production and Technical Services. Over the past 5 years, the college has seen an increase of 250% in their enrolments in these qualifications and have achieved a 99% completion rate.  

This innovation allows students at the college to obtain a Certificate II or III qualification by the end of year 10, in addition to 2 High School Certificate (HSC) units. It has helped to change community perception around the importance of VET. Importantly, learners at the college have greater flexibility as they move into their HSC. Some students choose to take advantage of this flexibility by selecting another qualification in years 11 and 12, so they graduate with multiple qualifications in addition to their HSC. 

All students who complete the qualifications commence their HSC with a variety of transferable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration which are embedded in their VET courses. 79% of students enrolled in the program are offered part-time employment after completing their work placement, contributing to a pipeline of young, skilled, enthusiastic workers in North-West Sydney.