Choosing the right job and course for you is very important for you to do. You need to think about the things that you can do well and the things that interest you.
You also need to find out as much as possible about the type of work you are interested in (called “industry”). You need to understand how the industry works to know if it is the right job for you. An example of this is someone who likes to bake bread and cakes. It is important to know that people who work in this industry start work at 3.00 or 4.00 a.m. You need to think about if you will be happy always starting work so early in the morning. A good way to find out information about an industry is to talk to other people who work in that area.
Sometimes people may tell you what they think you should do. Sometimes their advice may be right for you. Other times they may be telling you what they think is a good job for a deaf person to do or they give the wrong information. Here are some examples of this:
- a deaf person wanted to work for the railways, but was told no, they could not because OH&S laws said deaf people can’t work for the railways (this is wrong information)
- a deaf person who was very good at art was advised to go into the graphics area, but most jobs in this industry are in small businesses; this may cause difficulty for a deaf person to find a job
After you decide the right job for you, then you must look for the right course for you to study. Some courses are offered at many different TAFE institutes. Other courses are only offered at one or two TAFE institutes.
One way to find out what TAFE institute has the course you want is by using the internet. In Victoria, you can go to the Department of Education and Training website at http://www.tafe.vic.gov.au/tafecourses/. Another way is to actually visit the TAFE institute(s).
Every year, TAFE institutions “showcase” their courses. Some TAFEs have an “Open Day”, others have what they call “ taster courses ” when you can go to the TAFE to try out different courses.
Both Open Days and taster courses are a good opportunity to go to a TAFE and to talk to the teachers about courses. You can find out a lot of information about courses before you have to make a decision about which course and which TAFE to attend.
Another very good way to find out about different types of jobs is to talk to someone, especially a deaf person, who already works in that job. The Centre of Excellence can try to help you find someone to talk to; or you can contact VCOD, Vicdeaf (Senswide Services) or Deaf Children Australia (Sign On Employment) and they may be able to help you to find a deaf person for you to meet.
By going to TAFE open days, taster courses and by talking to people who know about the type of job you want to do, you will find out a lot of information to help you to decide what course is right for you. This is an important decision because if you choose the wrong course you waste both your time and your money.
After you have decided which course you want to do, you need to find out about making an application for the course.
There are two ways to apply for VET or TAFE courses in Victoria:
- VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre)
- direct application to the TAFE institution
You will need to talk to the TAFE department that has the course you want to find out which way they want you to apply, VTAC or direct application. You can do your VTAC application on the internet. Go to http://www.vtac.edu.au.
