Australia offers a wide range of institutions which are government-accredited and government-funded that provide vocational education and training in areas as diverse as arts， health， technology， business， industry， agriculture， and community services.
The main feature of VET institutions is that they are vocational， that is， they provide training in skills directly applicable to the job market. Students at VET institutions combine class work with practical work placements， some of which are paid. There is a large degree of collaboration between VET institutions and the private sector which helps to ensure that graduates have the skills most valued by the employers of that region.
The system has evolved out of a long history of apprenticeships， and the apprenticeship system is still a component of many VET programs. In some VET institutions， a high portion students may have jobs already， and the skills they receive will enhance the career prospects in their existing firms， leading to more pay or advancement to management.
