The Vocational Education and Training Program Expo will showcase courses including animal studies, aviation and engineering. 

This year the number of students studying VET dropped by 100 from 2016, Highlands LLEN chief executive Jannine Bennett said.

Ms Bennett said there was a misconception VET led to poorer outcomes. 

However recent research has revealed VET graduates are likely to earn up to $2000 more a year than bachelor’s degree graduates, and a 78 per cent employment rate, compared to 68 per cent.

Graduate Careers Australia’s research found the average income for a VET graduate was $56,000, compared to $54,000 for a bachelor’s degree graduate.  

“My concern is that the benefits of VET studies is not fully understood by students and schools and parents.

“I think we need to dispel some of the myths, it’s raising community awareness of the positive outcomes,” Ms Bennett said. 

This year Highlands LLEN hopes to double attendance from 100 last year to 200 on Wednesday.

Ms Bennett said VET graduates were better prepared for the workforce.

“We definitely would see them being far more job-ready. They would have developed a number of vocational skills or technical skills that could be applied in the workplace if they progressed to apprenticeships,” she said.

“People will probably be surprised by the huge range of VET programs on offer, no matter what school you attend in Ballarat and surrounding region,” Ms Bennett said.  

Students and their parents and carers are invited to the VET Cluster Expo on Wednesday, July 26 and discuss programs with training providers. 

The expo runs from 3.30 to 6pm at Ballarat Mining Exchange, Lydiard Street. More information at www.highlandsllen.org.