Trade Training Centres

School student prioritisation

Having an agreed and documented enrolment prioritisation policy for managing Trade Training Centre (TTC) or Australian Technical College (ATC) capacity and maximising access for students is highly recommended. This should be developed in partnership with, and agreed between, host schools and VET cluster member schools.

Once agreed, the host school may assign ongoing maintenance and oversight of the policy to the cluster coordinator.

The approach to managing enrolment capacity and maximising school students’ access to VET at the facility will vary depending on the needs and demands of local students and help to make sure high-priority students don’t miss out. Example approaches include prioritisation by student year level, suitability or school, with a ballot process or with first-in first-served allocation.

By level or program

The host school prioritises applications by considering the student’s year level or overall study program. For example, priority may be given to second-year VCE Vocational Major students, students intending to undertake scored assessment, Year 12 students or Victorian Pathways Certificate students.

By student suitability

The host school makes assessments of a student’s commitment, capability or overall goal alignment in allocating enrolment places. The host school may also consider the engagement and progress of first-year students before offering a second-year enrolment.

This may be done in partnership with VET coordinators or career practitioners, to understand the student’s career aspirations and their alignment with the VET course.

By school

The host school prioritises enrolments from its own students, followed by students from schools in its VET cluster and then other schools.

By ballot process

The host school uses a randomised process to allocate enrolments among high-priority or all interested students. This can be used when there is over-subscription of student enrolments in a course.

First-in first-served

The host school offers enrolment to students in the order that their expressions of interest were received, until capacity is reached. This approach may be challenging if the TTC or ATC is at capacity.

Waiting lists and reallocation

The host school places students who are not successful in initial enrolment on a waiting list. While students are on this list, the VET coordinator discusses and explores alternative VET courses for the student for enrolment if a place in their primary preference does not become available.

Example prioritisation approach – mixed prioritisation

A TTC could work with the VET cluster to develop a prioritisation policy by year level or VCE VET program, by school, by student suitability and ballot process. The policy would ensure student enrolments and facility capacity are managed fairly and transparently.

1. Applications for enrolment in VET are open to students in the VET cluster.
2. If applications for a VET course exceed capacity, the VET cluster coordinator explores the potential for an additional class to be delivered by the existing or a new provider.
3. If an additional class cannot be delivered, then the agreed priority placement protocol is applied to manage school student enrolment in VET.
4. Enrolments are prioritised in the order of:
   1. Second year applications
   2. Year 12 students
   3. Year 11 students (who are not second year applicants)
   4. Year 10 students.
5. After enrolment applications close, the VET cluster coordinator tells schools which of their students have applied for a course with applications exceeding capacity.
6. Schools then determine if any students who have applied are unsuitable for the VET course. The VET cluster coordinator then uses a ballot system to determine the suitable students that are successfully enrolled in the VET course.
7. Other students are then put on a waiting list for that course, or choose an alternative VET course that has a vacancy.
8. VET coordinators discuss alternative VET courses and pathways for study with all students placed on a waiting list.

For case studies of how schools prioritise enrolments, refer to Case Studies on the Resources tab.