This section of the site is intended to explain what kind of education and training is available from TAFEWA and the differences between the types of courses and study options on offer – most of which are listed or mentioned on this website.

What kind of education and training does TAFEWA provide?

What are qualifications?
TAFEWA qualifications as study, career and personal/professional development pathways
What is studying and training at TAFEWA like? How does it compare to school or university?
What are the main study/training options through TAFEWA?
Full-time study 
Part-time study (or study of units within a qualification)
Short courses including Adult Community Education, lifestyle & registration courses
Entry or bridging qualifications
Apprenticeships and traineeships
Flexible learning (correspondence, open learning, online etc)
How TAFEWA qualifications work
Qualifications explained
Which qualification is right for me?

What kind of education and training does TAFEWA provide?  Top of Page

TAFEWA is made up of 10 colleges with over 50 campuses across Western Australia and is the largest provider of vocational education and training in the State. TAFEWA works closely with industry to provide and formally recognise skills that today’s employers are looking for. It also delivers bridging and entry courses that offer accessible pathways into study, short courses that deliver particular skills for both professional and lifestyle/recreational interests, and assists in providing apprenticeships and traineeships that enable people to undertake training within employment.

What are qualifications? Top of Page

TAFEWA qualifications are combinations of skills or competencies that are formally certified and nationally recognised.  This means that employers can be confident that that an individual with a particular qualification is able to perform various job related tasks at a certain standard. This unique job and outcome focus means TAFEWA qualifications are highly valued by employers as our graduates are job ready.

Each qualification (eg a Certificate, Diploma or Advanced Diploma) normally takes between 6 to 12 months to complete if studied full-time. However options to study part-time or even fast-track for some qualifications are available.

All TAFEWA qualifications apply various forms of assessment to ensure that graduates are fully competent in the required skills.

TAFEWA qualifications as study, career and personal/professional development pathways Top of Page

There are over 400 qualifications available through TAFEWA at various levels in virtually all industry and subject areas. They have been designed to fit together to provide seamless pathways between all levels of study and careers. Hence, you can enter at the most appropriate level and continue until you reach your desired learning or job outcome. TAFEWA also aims to allow you to readily move between TAFEWA and employment, return to study at any time, or enable you to do both at the same time.

For more information on how TAFEWA qualifications work click here.

What is studying and training at TAFEWA like? How does it compare to school or university? Top of Page

TAFEWA courses are flexibly designed and delivered to offer students the best combination of learning and practical experience. Classroom teaching is mixed with hands on activities, using contemporary equipment and applications to perform actual job tasks, employer and off campus visits, work placements and various other opportunities and forms of delivery.

For more information on what it’s like to study at TAFEWA see studying at TAFEWA.

What are the main study and training options through TAFEWA? Top of Page

The following sections describe theses options: 

Full-time study

Part-time study (or study of units within a qualification)

Short courses - including Adult Community Education, lifestyle, certification and registration courses

Entry or bridging qualifications 

Apprenticeships and traineeships

Flexible learning (correspondence, open learning, online, etc)

Full-time study  Top of Page

TAFEWA delivers more than 400 full-time programs each year that directly lead to a nationally recognised qualification within 6 to 12 months. These programs can then be used to progress to further study or enter relevant careers.

These full-time qualification programs generally require between 12 and 25 hours per week of contact time (classroom, on campus, in the workplace etc), normally during the day, and also require additional time for personal study and assessment preparation.

Full-time study is particularly well suited to students leaving school from Years 10 to 12 and people looking to re-enter study in order to develop their career or further study options. Full-time students often access funding support (Youth Allowance, Austudy, Abstudy) or do part-time work while successfully completing their qualification.

You can find more details of these programs through browsing the summaries of the full-time qualifications on this site and also the specific details provided by the TAFEWA college that delivers them. Alternatively, you can review the TAFEWA full-time studies guide published each year and also obtain brochures and information directly from TAFEWA colleges.

There is a formal admissions process for full-time studies of the majority of TAFEWA qualifications that needs to be well understood. Please click here for full details.

Part-time study (or study of units within qualifications) Top of Page

Units within many TAFEWA qualifications are available part-time for people who are seeking to get specific skills or are unable to undertake a full-time study load due to other commitments.

Many qualifications can be completed through part-time study and students should consult the relevant study area to find out opportunities for this to be achieved.

Part-time study loads are almost completely under your control depending on how many units you wish to take on in any semester - they can range from a few hours on a single day/evening per week to 3-4 days per week.

Normally, study areas will try and deliver part-time classes in blocks of a few hours that reduce the number of days per week you need to attend. Most part-time study is available in evening classes and some is also available on weekends. Part-time study during the day is also common.

For further details on when and how you enter part-time study at TAFEWA click here. 

Short courses - including Adult Community Education, lifestyle and registration courses Top of Page

TAFEWA short courses can be a range of courses that last from a day/weekend to several weeks and do not result in the awarding of a formal qualification (eg Certificate, Diploma).

Types of short courses available through TAFEWA colleges include: Adult Community Education courses, lifestyle/leisure courses, personal and professional development courses, and registration courses.

These courses cover an enormous range of interests, hobbies, skills and personal/professional development outcomes ranging from; art, craft, cooking, dance, home improvement, and beauty therapy to automotive, computing, business, finance, languages and photography.

The main type of short courses run by TAFEWA and listed on this website are Adult Community Education courses – which may be known by slightly different names at the three main colleges that run them in the metropolitan area (Swan, Challenger and West Coast). These are run throughout the year but there are four key promotion and enrolment periods each year that coincide with the start of each term.

Click here to find further information on short course opportunities and how to access them.

Entry or bridging qualifications Top of Page

Entry and bridging qualifications are designed for those who are looking for a pathway into broader vocational education and training programs. They are delivered to ensure that age, gender, disability, ethnicity, language or family situation are not barriers to studying at TAFEWA.

These are formal qualifications that are normally customised for key groups (eg Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, women etc) so that the training is both appropriate and relevant.

Applicants for these courses do not need to go through the TAFEWA Admissions Centre and can apply directly to the relevant TAFEWA college.

To find out how to apply click here.

Apprenticeships and traineeships Top of Page

Apprenticeships and traineeships are structured training programs that are a valuable alternative for those who wish to gain a qualification through employment. Practical experience at work is complemented with off the job training. You can have a job and be paid while you learn, and on successful completion you can end up with a nationally recognised qualification.

Australia is currently experiencing a skills shortage and in certain industry areas there is a high demand for qualified tradespeople. Successful completion of an apprenticeship or traineeship may lead to exciting and rewarding career paths, often with great financial reward and many work opportunities.

Apprenticeships usually take four years full time to complete and successful completion will lead to a qualification as a tradesperson. Traineeships can be for a duration of 12 months or more and are generally conducted in non-trade related areas.

TAFEWA colleges cannot enrol you in an apprenticeship or traineeship directly, but provide the off the job training component of these programs.

For further information, support and advice about apprenticeships and traineeships contact the ApprentiCentre on 13 19 54 or click here to visit their website.

Flexible learning (correspondence, open learning, online etc) Top of Page

Many units and even some whole courses (including qualifications) at TAFEWA are available through flexible delivery – either through correspondence, online or self-paced delivery (you attend and study at the college at your own pace).

Most of these units and courses can be started at any time and either run for a set period from when you start or have flexible/open delivery periods.

Admission into these units or courses is normally done directly with the relevant TAFEWA college through its relevant study area or specialised unit (off campus, distance/open learning, online delivery etc).

To find out how to apply click here.

How TAFEWA qualifications work Top of Page 

TAFEWA qualifications are generally designed in sequence. You can choose to complete one qualification only or you can move from one to the next, such as Certificate II to Certificate III and then Certificate IV.

Generally, if you successfully complete one level you will meet the minimum entrance requirements for the next level. It is also possible to move to a different area of study as long as you meet the minimum entrance requirements for that qualification.

Qualifications explained Top of Page 

Which qualification is right for me?  Top of Page 

Start at the qualification level that suits your current knowledge and education level. Check your appropriate starting level by referring to the minimum entrance requirement for each qualification. Then progress through to higher level qualifications as your needs, skills and interests develop.