New data from the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has revealed that over a quarter of HSC students are now including vocational education and training courses among their HSC subjects.
The 2026 HSC Enrolment Snapshot, taken in September each year, revealed that VET enrolments grew by 6% this year, with 28% of the HSC cohort selecting a VET course in 2026. This increase belongs to a growing trend observed across the past half-decade, with HSC VET course enrolments having increased by 20% since 2020.
The most popular VET courses — standalone practical qualifications that count toward diplomas, thus offering students promising alternatives to university — included Hospitality (9,250 students), Construction (4,188 students) and Business Services (3,158 students).
VET Enrolment Rise Coincides With Minns Labor Government Reforms
The increase in VET enrolments comes after changes made under the Minns Labor Government last year that allow students to study more than one VET course for their HSC, and still have their results count towards their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
It also follows the NSW Government’s $11.6 million expansion of the Educational Pathways Program, which provides participating schools with additional resources to connect students with employers for work experience, school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.
“It’s fantastic to see more students choosing to study VET subjects for their HSC, with the reputation and recognition of VET as a valuable pathway continuing to grow,” said Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car.
“We need students finishing school with a range of skills and a toolbelt of knowledge to help them move into their next phase of life and prepare for the jobs of the future, which is why the Minns Labor Government is strengthening VET pathways in our schools.”
Are Increasing VET Enrolments A Sign Of AI Anxiety?
While the Minns Labor Government have largely described these recent figures as a positive sign, others are wondering if increasing VET enrolments are really the product of anxiety among Gen Z.
While student surveys are lacking, a recent study of 575 early-career professionals found that 71% of young Australians worry that AI could lead to fewer jobs, a figure that rose to 87% in the finance sector.
Meanwhile, the advice being dished out to young people, from thoroughly-researched think-pieces in The Guardian to YouTube channels for young Aussie investors, is that hospitality and trades are among the few career pathways that are “safe from AI”.
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