TAFE

What is TAFE?

‘TAFE’ means ‘Technical And Further Education’, and it is a government funded institute. It’s open to everyone who wants to study, and people of all ages and from all walks of life do courses here. It has a different vibe than university, with more accessible and involved teachers, smaller classes and more grounded, grassroots style learning. It is aimed at more technical, skilled and practical qualifications than university, but it doesn’t mean the education is not as good. It’s just different.

Am I suited to TAFE?

TAFE course entry requirements vary from none, to Year 12,

and sometimes work experience counts. This means everyone has the chance to study, no matter what kind of scene you’re into. If you find a course of study you think you’d like to do, which will help you gain entry into an industry or vocation you’re interested in, then TAFE is for you.

What can I study at TAFE?

All sorts of things! Just like universities, TAFE offers a broad range of subjects in lots of areas, but they tend to be more practical and hands-on as well as theoretical, getting focused on the real skills and knowledge for all kinds of trades, careers and jobs, in all kinds of industries. Some of the study options include:

Business
Administration
Trades
Computers (IT)
Health
Beauty
and much more.

How does it all work at TAFE?

You can study for a Certificate I – IV, which vary anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of years, and give you all the basic skills and knowledge you need to get work and function well at your job.
The next level up is a Diploma, which usually takes from 2 to 4 years to complete, and gives you full qualifications to practice in your desired career. Advanced Diplomas are available for some areas of study and give more specialised qualifications. Some of these courses are equivalent to university courses of study.
Then there are vocational certificates or diplomas, which are like studying years 11 and 12 of high school, to catch you up so that you are eligible for further study where this is a requirement.

The great thing about TAFE is that you can study in smaller sections or amounts and it isn’t as full-on as university. That doesn’t mean there’s no study involved though. You still have put in to get out!

How will a TAFE education help my career?

You can use TAFE to gain all the qualifications you want or need, as a stepping stone to further education at university, to specialise in subjects and further your career, or many courses are just for your own enjoyment.

What will TAFE cost me?

TAFE fees don’t cost as much as university fees, and this makes it much easier for many students to study what they want without the cashflow problems!