Schools… work to provide students with training that will enable them to enter the labor market and social life with adequate skills… are places where people learn how to live their lives, achieve cultural growth, receive vocational training and engage in the pursuit of the common good…

~ Congregation for Catholic Education (for Educational Institutions) Educating Today And Tomorrow: A Renewing Passion Instrumentum Laboris, 2014

Catholic schools provide Vocational Education and Training pathways in order to support the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Declaration’s goal to “promote a culture of excellence in all learning environments, by providing varied, challenging, and stimulating learning experiences and opportunities that enable all learners to explore and build on their individual abilities, interests, and experiences”.

Vocational Education and Training courses and pathways provide practical, real-life applied learning for students, often in a work-based context. These courses, pathways, and qualifications are highly valued by students, parents, and employers.

Many Catholic schools and systems have become a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to facilitate the delivery of these nationally recognised vocational qualifications. In some locations, Catholic school communities are dedicated vocational colleges or participate in a network of Trade Training and Skills Centres.

The NCEC is working towards a future where students have access to high quality Vocational Education and Training opportunities in order to foster the continual improvement of educational outcomes for all students, increase Year 12 completion rates, and support students in their transition to post school education and work.

Each Catholic school or system of Catholic schools has their own program of Vocational Education and Training courses and pathways. To ensure accurate information, please visit the website of the individual school you are considering.