As an RTO college with only Year 11 and Year 12 students, it is a little different for us as teachers. Our students can complete VET training courses, as well as VCAL and VCE. In our Year 10 feeder schools, students are given the knowledge about TAFE and VET courses so they can make informed choices about the subjects they choose, which will often steer them along a particular career path.
Like you, I work with VET students but my job includes recruitment of Indigenous students to enrol in our course. We are steering them towards teaching as an occupation. They can opt out of study after a Cert 3 and still have some quals for teacher aiding. I think the idea of a pathway, which you can leave and return to, is the future of higher education.