From Classroom to Career: How Chloe Is Building Her Future in Emergency Healthcare

Inside the Classroom: What Chloe Has Learned So Far

We asked Chloe about her favourite workshop experience only 2 months into the course, and she doesn’t hesitate: “My favorite experience so far has been learning how to take manual blood pressure.”

It’s a small detail, but it says a lot about what makes the program engaging for students like Chloe – with real clinical skills, taught hands-on, that make the theory feel immediately useful and relevant to real healthcare work.

Overcoming the Nerves of Starting Something New

Starting a course outside the usual school curriculum can feel intimidating, and Chloe was upfront about her biggest worry going in: “Probably not knowing the answers.”

It’s a completely normal concern for a student stepping into unfamiliar territory – but it didn’t last long.

“Once I got here I realised, everybody’s in the same boat,” she says. “Everybody’s really supportive as well, so no one’s really judging you at all.”

That sense of a shared, supportive learning environment is central to how APC designs its VET in Schools classes – students come in at different starting points, but they’re learning together, guided by instructors who understand they’re speaking to school-aged learners taking their first real steps into healthcare.

Discovering New Pathways in Healthcare

One of the biggest surprises for Chloe hasn’t been a particular skill or lesson – it’s been the sheer breadth of options the qualification opens up.

“One thing that surprised me is how many different pathways I can go down, especially once getting the Cert III (HLT31220 Certificate III in Basic Health Care),” she says. “There’s so many different things you can go into.”

This is one of the genuine strengths of the VETiS structure. Completing the Certificate III doesn’t just look good on a resume – it provides up to seven unit credits toward APC’s HLT51020 Diploma of Emergency Health Care, and that Diploma in turn opens doors to roles such as a First Responder, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Medical Emergency Services Officer (ESO), Event Medic, Industry Medic or Ambulance Transport Attendant.

For students who want to keep studying, several universities also offer a VET entry pathway into a Bachelor of Paramedicine, with some even crediting graduates’ prior study toward their degree.

Chloe’s Advice for Future VETiS Students

For anyone considering the program, Chloe’s advice is honest and encouraging in equal measure: “Be prepared to try and learn all the different acronyms, all the different theory-based learning, but it’s really fun and hands-on, so do it.”

It’s a fair summary of what the course demands – genuine effort with the theory side of healthcare – balanced against what students get in return: practical, engaging, real-world learning that isn’t confined to a textbook.

What’s Next for Chloe

Chloe already has a clear vision for where this pathway is taking her.

“Once I finish studying at APC, I wanna go and do event work while I’m still studying, ’cause I wanna go and study paramedicine at Griffith.”

It’s a plan that reflects exactly what the VET in Schools program is designed to enable: gaining real, applicable experience in emergency healthcare while still at school, then using that foundation to keep building toward a paramedic career — whether that’s through further vocational study, hands-on industry work, or university.

Is VET in Schools Right for You or Your Child?

Chloe’s experience captures what makes APC’s VET in Schools program valuable for students who are curious about a future in healthcare: real hands-on skills, a supportive learning environment, and a clear next step rather than a dead end.

For students, it’s a chance to explore emergency healthcare and earn a genuine qualification while still at school.

For parents, it’s a structured, supported way for their child to build confidence and direction without adding pressure to an already busy school schedule.

And for schools, it’s a practical, industry-relevant program that gives students real-world exposure to a growing sector!

Ready to Start Your Own Pathway?

Chloe’s journey into emergency healthcare started with one day a week at APC’s Burleigh Heads campus – and it’s a journey more students across the country will soon be able to start too.

In 2027, APC is running two VET in Schools intakes at our Burleigh Heads campus in Queensland, along with the launch of the program in New South Wales, with one intake at our Hurstville campus.

Enrolments are open now for students, parents and schools wanting to secure a place.

If Chloe’s story sounds like the kind of head start you or your child has been looking for, now is the time to find out more about APC’s VET in Schools program.

Find out more here