Electric Emily gets VET edge

BRIGHT SPARK: Geelong electrical apprentice Emily Gibson is getting ahead in a male-dominated industry.

Electrical apprentice Emily Gibson is chasing her dreams in a male-dominated industry thanks to her determination and new opportunities at high school.

Emily completed a Certificate II in Electrotechnology in Vocational Education and Training (VET) at Geelong High School.

“VET gave me opportunities that I could not find anywhere else,” she said.

“Being the only female in the class was something to be expected as it is a male-dominated industry.

“I chose to use that as an opportunity to challenge myself and prove my abilities are no less than the others in my class.”

Emily features as a success story in Get VET, a Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority resource “busting myths” about VET.

Get VET shows students how the highest-earning VET graduates can earn more than the highest-earning university graduates.

VET qualifications will help graduates get employment in more than half of all new jobs by 2022 and can contribute to a student’s ATAR, according to Get VET.

“By doing VET, I had an advantage over others seeking employment in the electrical industry,” Emily said.

“Structured workplace learning gave me a foot in the door of the electrical industry.”