Cowra Local Proves Uni Isn’t The Only Way

When Cowra’s Emily Reynolds finished her HSC at Cowra High School in 2019, she decided to defer a Bachelor of Primary Teaching and start a traineeship in business administration.

It’s a decision that has paid dividends for the 21-year-old who now has two TAFE certificates under her belt and is halfway through a Diploma in Business, while working full-time at Cowra Early Childhood Services.

“When I finished school, I was tossing up between pursuing teaching, psychology, real estate, and many other things.

I was so undecided about choosing a career that I decided to apply for a traineeship because it suited so many of my skills and interests,” Ms Reynolds said.

Ms Reynolds is part of a growing cohort of bright young school leavers who are seizing opportunities to earn while they learn without accumulating a HECSHELP debt.

Ms Reynolds’ message to year 12 students as they sit their HSC exams and plan for the future is that university education is not the only pathway to success.

“I think there’s a common misconception that vocational education is less ‘academic’ than going to university and this certainly isn’t this case,” she said.

VERTO CEO Ron Maxwell said trainees like Ms Reynolds are a shining light for other school leavers who may be tossing up between university or an apprenticeship.

“It’s a great to see Emily and so many others making the most of real-life vocational education and training opportunities and building exciting careers in industries that are crying out for highly skilled workers,” he said.

For more information and advice about apprenticeships, visit: https://www.verto.org.au/hsc-apprenticeship-information