Page 19 - StudyTravel Magazine August 2018 Issue

SpECIAl REpORT StUdytrAvel mAgAZIne AUgUSt 2018

vocational

programmes

Vocational learning offers a strong alternative to academic education,
says JANE VERNON SMITH, and is increasingly gaining recognition in
traditionally more academic-focused markets.

Vocational training holds a number of key advantages Communication provides preparation for director-level
when compared with academic education. “As the roles. All elements have an applied workplace empha-
career landscape becomes more competitive,” says sis aligned to contemporary professional corporate
Babette Furstner, Director at Australia’s ILSC Business requirements, says Greg.
College www.college.ilsc.com, “our students are ILSC Business College and sister institution Grey-
looking for more practical-based training that directly stone College www.greystonecollege.com in Canada
translates into the workplace – there’s a real focus both report increasing demand for practical, career-
on skills and gaining work experience that will give based training, and have responded by launching a
students a competitive edge.” number of new programmes.
Furthermore, as Dr Greg Keaney, Managing Direc- At ILSC – where Babette reports that its Certifi -
tor of Australia’s Bridge Business College www. cates II and III in Business are popular with students
bridgebc.edu.au, points out, “Vocational education…is at lower English levels, as these allow them some of
much more targeted than traditional post-school edu- the benefi ts of more independent vocational learning
cation and is able to be acquired in smaller and more with a programme scaled to meet their language level
valuable ‘chunks’. This gives it a strong and growing – a new Certifi cate IV in Business has recently been
advantage over the university sector,” he believes. added. She highlights that this “is unique as it offers
Bridge itself has recently introduced three new an option to…start…at a slightly lower level of English
courses, aligned to the Australian government’s 2016 than usual”, ie, IELTS 5, rather than 5.5.
endorsement of programmes that combine Market- The college has also introduced a new Diploma of
ing, Public Relations and Advertising. Its 48-week Leadership and Management, which may be taken
entry-level programme, Certifi cate IV in Marketing and with a concurrent internship placement, “allowing
Communication, provides an introduction to digital students to graduate with both a qualifi cation and
marketing; its Diploma of Marketing and Communica- meaningful industry experience”, she explains.
tion is suitable for aspiring marketing managers; while “The right to work alongside studying in Australia
its 72-week Advanced Diploma of Marketing and is attractive for a number of reasons,” Babette con-

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