If you’re terrified that you’re condemned to failure in life because you’re not going to University and your high school grades won’t get you anywhere– you’re not alone.
Many young people feel terrified when they realise that it’s time to start living on your own, make a living and build a decent life. It just happens so soon — one day, you’re sitting in your high school classroom, having fun with your classmates — the next day, there you are, forced to decide what to do with your life and make it good.
However, many great inventors and entrepreneurs have found themselves in that very same situation — and still made millions, world-wide fame, and most importantly — a change worth living for.
They never got a university degree, but nonetheless their knowledge made this world a better place.
You don’t have to change the world if that wasn’t your original plan anyway. But you can build yourself a secure pathway to a successful career you’ll enjoy and be very happy with.
Here’s how.
University education is NOT the only education
It is important to realise that you can get education at many places besides a University. If you want to pursue an academic career, or want to become an engineer or a doctor — then University education is your next step.
But if you want to be a successful anything else, there are many good pathways to take.
One of them is vocational training and education.
Vocational training and education (or simply VET) is a mix of technical knowledge and practical skills and experience that opens the pathway to employment in many industries: from business and entrepreneurship, to hospitality, commercial kitchens, retail, and administration. The choice is massive.
VET education is offered by registered training organisations, and provides a national certificate of completion required to get employed at a certain job position.
VET courses are designed to suit even the busiest schedules, and the amount of time you’ll need to invest depends on the course level. For example: you can take a three-months course, or a 52 week course. It is all about your starting level and your desire to upskill.
How does it work?
Once you enrol in an RTO, you will be taking classes led by experienced trainers who apply contemporary methods to their teaching style, ensuring you always get most regarding technical knowledge. Besides classes and depending on the course you take, you will get to do an internship to build up practical skills and gain job experience necessary to get desired employment.
Studying hospitality at Barrington College, you will gain work experience at luxury 5-7 star hotels & restaurants, following recommendations from distinguished industry experts.
Do I have to pay?
Yes — you do have to pay to enrol in a VET course, but it is not much to worry about. You are most likely to be eligible for government funding and subsidies, in which case you won’t even feel the cost of your education.
Building experience
To make the best of your career, the most important thing is to never stop moving toward the goal. Meaning: when you complete the course, you’re not done with building qualifications for the job market.
You must always be on a mission to improve your skills and build up your experience.
While completing your course, make sure you establish good communication with your trainers and practical tutors. After you’re done, ask each of them to write you a recommendation.
Start looking for jobs of interest. Include your practical experience and newly -gained skills into your resume, and make sure you attach the recommendations.
Do not expect to get a job right away — otherwise you might get discouraged about carrying on if it doesn’t happen at once. It is tough on the job market, but once you’re in, only you and your mindset can be a growth obstacle to yourself.
Make sure you look for jobs that correspond to your desired direction — and unless you get a really good job you want to keep and progress further at — then focus on changing your workplace often enough to seize more experience for your future career development.
Education is not a one-time thing
In order to become successful, you must always be learning. Sometimes you learn in a classroom, sometimes you learn as an intern, sometimes at your new job, sometimes on your own mistakes. And that is okay. That is exactly how it should be — so you should plan to get back to the classroom soon as well.
VET courses always offer a higher level of specialisation: meaning, if you start as a kitchen assistant, you can proceed to the sous-chef course, and wrap it up with an advanced commercial kitchens chef course.
Don’t stop learning just because you are not forced to continue.
Handling life decisions when you’ve just walked out of school, still feeling like a child, is not an easy thing to do. It takes rationalism, courage and decisiveness. But that is what makes you different from the rest, and better from the average. So forget about fear of failure and others’ expectations — choose what you love, and pursue your dream by incessantly learning and building up your skills.
