University Isn't Your Only Option (What TAFE is All About)

University is the most well-known, well-discussed option for students at the end of high school. But uni ISN'T for everyone.
A lot of people might look at TAFE and vocational education thinking that it's all about learning a trade, or that it is a "lesser option" than uni, but that is just not true.
TAFEs offer an interesting opportunity to study with industry professionals, get practical work experience and to "taste test" different areas.
In this interview with Rob Malicki from A Life That Travels, Craig Robertson (the CEO of TAFE Directors Australia) gives you an introduction to what TAFE is all about. He talks about what sort of people are well suited to studying at TAFE and how you can combine TAFE studies with other career-developing options.
TAFE is just as legitimate as a post-school option as uni is, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise! If you're just leaving school, don't let anyone tell you you've got to rush to "work it out". You've got time.
Whatever your combination of study, work, travel or "gap" year might be... it is YOUR path. YOU own it. And there is NO right or wrong.
Have you studied at TAFE?
I'd love to hear about your experience! Tell me in the comments below and I will reply to you! 👇👇👇
#tafe #vocationaleducation #university #studentadvice
****
No propaganda!
Welcome to A Life That Travels, a channel dedicated to providing independent, unbiased advice and stories from around the world.
Why does A Life That Travels exist?
Because SOCIETY shouldn't set the LIMITS on WHO YOU CAN BE.
But it tries to.
Making decisions about what to do with your life is hard and there's way too much pressure on people to "work it all out" and to "find your passion"... like you're some kind of failure if you don't.
So here's the truth.
You've got plenty of time and "working it out" is hard.
You can study (uni or technical/vocation ed).
You can go travelling.
You can get a job and dive straight into your career.
And you know what?
ALL of these are PERFECTLY acceptable options.
And that's where A Life That Travels comes in.
* Interviews with REAL PEOPLE who've done INTERESTING things with their lives, through study, work and travel, so that maybe you can find your own ideas in their stories
* Travel stories, destinations and advice... so if you want to see the world you'll see it's not so scary stepping out of your comfort zone.
* Unbiased reviews of universities and other study options so you can cut through the noise and make clearer decisions.
More Info: www.alifethattravels.com
Facebook: alifethattravels
Rob Malicki:
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/robmalicki/
Instagram @alifethattravels

[@mishmash6570]

I really hate school but I want to have an ok job. When he said if you don’t want to hit the books I was like MEEE

[@ChoosingYourUni]

You can have a fucking amazing job without going to uni. I’m currently travelling around Australia and met a guy that services air conditioners and fridges. He can get work wherever he goes (he’s just travelling around Oz right now), gets paid really well and doesn’t have to handle piss and poo (like plumbers sometimes have to). There are endless amazing careers out there that don’t require studying. HOWEVER, anything truly worthwhile does require some WORK. That’s a different story, though....

[@taylorm362]

Thankyou for this!! Very helpful

[@ChoosingYourUni]

You're welcome! Please subscribe - that really helps me out. Is there anything else would you like to know about TAFE?

[@biancaforreal2387]

I love your video!!! It's amazing

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Thanks Nicko!

[@ahmedezzat5154]

hey i really appertiate what you say Is it true the course duration must be 2 years long for the eligibility of applying PR in Australia? What about TAFE courses? I have hardly found 2 years duration courses in TAFE

[@ChoosingYourUni]

I’m not sure about that tbh I’m not really a TAFE specialist atm

[@kaunghtetkyaw3985]

I am a 21 years old student from Myanmar who is studying Business Management degree inside Myanmar. I currently finished HND and was losing my pathway to go forward. Because I felt like I am not ready for business sector and I want to go back to my old-self as a programmer (self-study). But I found that TAFE have IT courses too. They also have Bachelor one. I just want to know, if I can just study TAFE, live at Australia and work with TAFE until i go back to my Australia is okay or not. I don't want to challenge myself for one-year HND Top-up type at university for some degree that i am not interested in which i might be in trouble with exams since Myanmar and Australia have very different teaching types. Myanmar teachers teach students like a mother or father, baby sitting a lot and easily pass if they give efforts in which Australia might have different criteria. I want a suggestions. Kindly help please.

[@ChoosingYourUni]

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question?

[@jemma4697]

I have to submit my vtac preferences by next week and idk if I am ready to go to uni since I am very unclear about what I want to do and idk if I could do a gap year because I need structure in my life. I feel like tafe might be a good idea but my course counsellor makes it sound like its a last resort option if I don't get the atar I need

[@ChoosingYourUni]

No, that’s bullshit. TAFE is perfectly okay as a starting point. People are snobs about uni being the only way forward but I can tell you that every option is totally okay. The key, Jemma, is to try lots of new things if you’re not sure what you want to do. Like start a TAFE course, working some casual jobs, do some trips (short ones are fine). Just experience life a bit without the crazy pressure of having to “achieve” stuff. Just live a bit. It’s through living that we figure stuff out.

[@jemma4697]

@@ChoosingYourUni Thank you! So do you recommend that I should do a tafe course first instead of going to uni

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Hi Jemma - I cant really answer that because o don’t really know you. No one should give you that advice unless they really take an hour to sit down and listen to you talk about your interests etc. The main thing I’m saying is... you’ve got time on your side. Lots of it. Don’t let anyone pressure you to go in any one direction because you can always, ALWAYS change later. Don’t feel like you should have all the answers now because there’s no “right” answer. There’s just an infinite number of choices. So just choose whatever feels right to you now and live it as best you can. If it sucks, change. If it’s awesome, stick with it. If it’s meh, consider other options. No right, no wrong.

[@ChoosingYourUni]

PM me on IG if you want to chat more. @alifethattravels

[@bartmitchell56]

I am going into year 11 but I don’t want to go and I want to drop out and get a traineeship but I don’t know how to go about it

[@ChoosingYourUni]

That’s a tough thing to go through. PM me on IG if you want to chat it out. @alifethattravels

[@lobsangdhondup8149]

I want to know more about TAFE, especially individual disability support .can you please guide me more on this topic🙏

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Hi Lobsang, the channel is now focused in on Australian universities, so I'm not in a great position to help out on TAFE. Sorry and good luck!

[@danimehar1734]

is tafe perth campus require bank statement for embassy if GTE is already clear ?

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Sorry, can’t answer that one.

[@gladyskipson1175]

Waoo so amazing,I wish I could come to,, beacouse I miss my chances in school.🥰

[@ChoosingYourUni]

👍

[@arrenzgorgonia4656]

I have a bachelors degree in civil engineering and Im planning on taking Cert4 in Surveying or Building&Construction. Are there many jobs related to surveying and construction in Australia? im planning to apply for a student visa next yr

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Right now the labour market is still quite strong in building and construction.

[@cream7650]

Are these also options for international students?

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Yes. Anything open to Aussies is usually also open to international students.

[@whitestone3998]

I finished my Degree in accounting but more interested in Real estate is there any opportune for me in TAFE to further my skills in the esp in Realestate.

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Check with the Real Estate Institute of Australia for what they’d recommend: reia.com.au

[@levyfoya2292]

What agriculture courses they offer

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Have a look at TAFEnsw.edu.au, TAFEqld.edu.au etc

[@Meghamin2013]

iam currently in year 9 and i want to do tafe but like iam not smart like i dont pass math i fail it do you tihnk i will be able to do tafe?

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Sure, why not? Don’t be fooled about what people say is “smart”. I’ve met “genius” people who have zero common sense and can’t drive a car. So what the fuck does it matter? You’ve got some ninja skill or ability in there somewhere, you’ve just got to find it. If anyone tells you differently they’re an idiot.

[@Meghamin2013]

@@ChoosingYourUni yea thanks soo much in school all my friends are really smart and Iam like the only one that’s not smart so I get really stressed that I’ll b able to do nothing in life and like that I wouldn’t even be good enough to do tafe

[@Meghamin2013]

@@ChoosingYourUni I want to find a good paying job around 80k plus per year I just don’t know if I can find one and if I do I don’t know if I’ll be good enough

[@ChoosingYourUni]

PM me on IG if you want to chat this out. You can have anything you want, you just can’t have EVERYTHING. @alifethattravels

[@ekavalencia1017]

Can I start tafe on July?

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Depends on the course and institution

[@lanongphichit2003]

Is my diploma a good start for TAFE? Because I can't afford my bachelor. Can we still find jobs with a diploma

[@ChoosingYourUni]

What diploma are you looking at doing?

[@lanongphichit2003]

@@ChoosingYourUni graphic design

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Yes, you’ll still find work but maybe at a lower pay rate than the higher qualification.

[@affum-appiahemmanuel737]

How long does it take to receive an offer

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Depends what you’re applying for, when and through whom. It can be anything from a few days to a few weeks or more

[@affum-appiahemmanuel737]

@@ChoosingYourUni even if the starting date is pretty long like months away

[@ChoosingYourUni]

Depends. Check with the organisation involved - they should be able to give you approximate dates.

[@tusharramesh7047]

Sir I have 3 years of work experience and hold BE in Mechanical engineering ca I get admit and student visa from TAFE

[@ChoosingYourUni]

I would imagine so - you'll need to choose a TAFE and apply directly to them.

[@tusharramesh7047]

@@ChoosingYourUni hey, yes but I think it is not worth the try and Visa maybe a issue, also one think I cannot understand why AU universities charge such high tuition fees when compared to USA etc. Just a question I have in my mind, do you have any idea why this is so?

[@ChoosingYourUni]

I don’t know. I thought the USA was also really expensive? The thing about Australia is that 90% of the unis here are in the top 1000 in the world. In the USA that’s only 15-20%. The overall level of quality is generally high at Australian unis because of the regulation of the sector.

[@tusharramesh7047]

@@ChoosingYourUni that may be true yes even I feel the same, @Life that travels if I may ask for your suggestion can you recommend me a good university for Master in Manufacturing science Mechanical domain, I hold a BE in Mechanical and have 3years of work experience in R&D.

[@ChoosingYourUni]

That’s a little bit too niche for my knowledge but there are lots of good engineering programs in Oz