Vocational Education and Training (V.E.T) plays a central role in preparing young people for work, developing skills, and responding to the labour-market needs of the economy.
As the V.E.T Co-Ordinator at Toowoomba Grammar School, I have an immediate and positive influence on our young men’s skills, employability, and career development. I engage with the most amazing young men to guide their career journeys throughout Years 10, 11 and 12. I also have the privilege to work closely with their parents.
I get to know the boys and commence career pathway conversations during the Career Plan Interviews in Year 10. The boys have already had the opportunity to engage in work experience, a very valuable program that provides an opportunity to engage with businesses and work in a real-life scenario. This gives the boys a good idea if they wish to pursue a career in that chosen industry. University and academia are not for every boy, and if they are interested in vocational study for Years 11 and 12, we are fortunate at TGS to be able to enhance their career pathway through many different registered training organisations. I provide ongoing support so our boys gain extra skills and knowledge to give them the competitive edge when the time is right to engage in a school-based traineeship or an apprenticeships.
I have been the V.E.T Co-Ordinator for several years which has enabled me to connect and develop positive relationships with many businesses and organisations. These connections enable TGS to offer a vast array of work experience options, traineeships, and apprenticeships with extremely successful outcomes. Added to that, we offer a huge variety of short courses through our TGS Careers Program to enhance the employability of our boys, everything from Certificates in Chemical Management or Aviation (flying drones) to First-Aid or White Cards. Employers recognise that TGS boys are equipped with an excellent skill set and sound values, including being well-mannered and hard-working young men. Our boys are highly regarded, and I have many employers contacting me regularly looking specifically for TGS boys to engage in work experience in the hope of signing them into apprenticeships.
Thanks to the support of the fantastic TGS Careers Department team, I have been involved in many success stories during my time here. That is the beauty of my role, I have the best job in the world! I still, after all these years, get goosebumps when a boy has achieved success in his chosen career path. It is a job that is truly rewarding and keeps giving positive outcomes. I have been blessed to witness the success of many Old Boys who have set up their own businesses and those who have become qualified apprentices.
The connection with the TGS Old Boy network is also a precious gift. Our Old Boys are fantastic role models for our current young men. Many are so giving of their time and provide opportunities for work experience, traineeships and apprenticeship or they come to the School to share their stories and advice.
I continue to look forward to working with our young men; supporting and guiding them to have enjoyment and success on their vocational pathway and career journeys.
This is what some of our boys have to say about the TGS V.E.T. Pathways...
"University was never going to be for me, so it was good to have the backing of Toowoomba Grammar School’s VET pathway to get into the workforce and start my apprenticeship earlier. It’s important to offer programs like this so that students like me can experience different trades to see what suits them for their future. Mrs Rathie has been a massive help and she can’t be thanked enough for the huge amount of work she does for not only me, but all the VET boys at TGS." – Henry Ford, TGS graduate 2022
"I am doing my school-based apprenticeship in carpentry. I really enjoy the trade as it has always been a passion of mine to build houses. The VET pathway has really helped me through school as I have never been a very academic person, always wanting to be outside instead. I like being hands-on and learning a trade." – Sam Kirkby, TGS graduate 2022
"I’m involved with the VET program at TGS doing my Certificate III in Carpentry. I’ve enjoyed starting an apprenticeship while finishing the last two years of school as I get a taste of the real word and a head start on other school leavers. I would strongly recommend this program to other students looking to potentially start their apprenticeship when they leave school as it could potentially set you up for life." - Joe Johnston, TGS graduate 2022
"The VET pathway is helping to achieve my goals of getting a trade and to be prepared to get a job when I finish school. I am getting a head start on my apprenticeship while still being able to finish my schooling. Not everyone wants to go to university and the VET pathway gives you a head start and ultimately a great chance of getting a job as soon as you finish school." – Will Holley, Year 12 2023
Latest Blog
Making a Positive Impact with Homework Assistance
The Anglicare Homework Assistance Program (HAP), run in conjunction with Darling Heights State School, sees many of our boys volunteer their time on Wednesdays after class to help many young refugee and primary school students facing challenging times with their homework, or to chat and play games. Our boys thoroughly enjoy meeting, supporting and learning about the lives of the younger children. This forges community connections and fosters inclusion for the Darling Heights students; it also…
Fresh Faces Guide - TGS Sportsmen into the Fray
With their dedication to excellence and player development, TGS athletes are in good hands as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of competitive sports.
Honouring Tradition, Preparing for the Future
They will invariably be inspired by effective teaching and the satisfaction of personal achievement will always be motivating. At Toowoomba Grammar School, the power of high-quality instructional practices has resulted in the development of a strong academic culture that has endured for nearly 150 years. Preserving core principles provides stability and continuity. However, we must be open to continuously adapting our methods so that our students are well-prepared for the ever-changing world…
We See You - Mitchell Wilkes
That was the heart-wrenching diagnosis for Year 10 student, Mitchell Wilkes, right on Christmas in 2021. Mitchell’s mum noticed he wasn’t reading properly and had a gut feeling that there was something wrong with his eyesight. A trip to the optometrist revealed a thinning in the retina, and further tests showed that Mitchell had a genetic condition called Stargardt Disease, a juvenile macular degeneration illness that results in slow central vision loss.
Correcting our School's official record commemorating World War I and World War II
On the eve of our 150th year, we're calling on the School's alumni, parents, past parents and greater community to aid us in correcting the record of our involvement in two watershed geopolitical events of the 20th century. For the last four years Toowoomba Grammar School Museum Volunteers, Mrs Ann Hallam and Mrs Sue Palmer, have been updating the School records on Old Boys, staff and Trustees for the World War I and World War II theatres of war. Over the years several staff and volunteers have…
A Pioneering Woman of TGS
My late husband was a teacher, and our four children are all teachers, which we encouraged them to do because it is the best job in the world. It’s hard to believe I’ve been here for 36 years, working under four Headmasters: Mr Bill Dent, Mr Hugh Rose, Mr Peter Hauser and now Dr John Kinniburgh. I still drive into the School each day and smile, looking at the beautiful place it is — magnificent ovals, gracious trees and historically significant buildings. It is difficult to express the…
NZ Rugby Tour success, more than winning matches across the Ditch
The teams were undefeated and it was a trip the players will never forget. This tour was years in the making and heralds a new era of touring and hosting different rugby schools to give our players opportunities for growth as athletes and as people. Head of Sport - Rugby, Mr Lincoln Clapham, explained they selected 46 students to take part in the ten-day tour and began training last year. From Term 1 onwards, the squad trained twice weekly on the oval plus two and sometimes three gym sessions…
Aussie Teen Reading Habits Revealed
I was recently sent an article, summarising some research from Deakin University around the reading habits of teens in 2024. Some of it was, as the title suggests, surprising. Some was not. However, all of it was built around the importance of reading, and supporting our teens to read, which is something that every one of us should do. While we tend to see our teens as digital natives, recent research from Deakin University suggests that the average Aussie teen reader would rather flick through…
Now More Than Ever
The one-of-a-kind Indigenous artwork is emblazoned across the shirts for the First IV Tennis team, jerseys for the First XI Football team and First XV Rugby team and First V Basketball team's singlets. National Reconciliation Week is a significant date on the calendar for all Australians, running from Monday, 27 May to Monday, 3 June. The incorporation of this Indigenous design in our uniforms is a significant milestone for our School, especially for our 47 Aboriginal and Torres Strait…
