Applied subjects are suited to students who are primarily interested in pathways beyond senior secondary schooling that lead to vocational education and training or work. Applied subjects may contribute up to four credits towards the QCE. Results in Applied subjects contribute to the award of a QCE and one Applied subject result may contribute to an ATAR. 

The following Applied subjects are on offer at St Laurence's College during Year 11 and 12:

• Essential English
• Essential Mathematics
• Religion and Ethics
• Recreation and Sport
• Arts in Practice
• Business Studies
• Furnishing Skills

For more information regarding these subjects, please refer to the relevant Senior Curriculum Handbook and/or the Vocational Education Handbook 2023.

Structured Work Placement provides students with experience in the workplace. Those students completing a Vocational Education and Training (VET) certificate where it is a requirement to have some time in the industry, will complete a certain number of hours in the workplace.

The Structured Work Placement program is also compulsory for all students who study:

Year 11 & 12

• Three or less General subjects
• Four General subjects and two Certificate II course
• Four General subjects, one Certificate II course and one Certificate I course.

Students will complete four-five weeks in industry over Year 11 and 12 in areas aligned to SET Plans. The aim is to ensure that students are confident that the industry area they would like to pursue is the correct fit for them. It also gives students a head start with what to expect from future employers. Students are required to choose an industry area relevant to the subjects in which they undertake in the curriculum.

Under the Data Provision Requirements 2012, St Laurence’s College is required to collect personal information about students and disclose that personal information to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

Students' personal information (including the personal information contained on forms and training activity data) may be used or disclosed by St Laurence’s College for statistical, regulatory and research purposes. St Laurence’s College may disclose personal information for these purposes to third parties, including:

• school — secondary school students undertaking VET, including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship
• employer — if students are enrolled in training paid for by an employer
• Commonwealth and State or Territory government departments and authorised agencies
• NCVER
• organisations conducting student surveys
• researchers.

Personal information disclosed to NCVER may be used or disclosed for the following purposes:

• issuing a VET statement of attainment or qualification, and populating authenticated VET transcripts
• facilitating statistics and research relating to education, including surveys
• understanding how the VET market operates, for policy, workforce planning and consumer information
• administering VET, including program administration, regulation, monitoring and evaluation
• Students may receive an NCVER student survey which may be administered by an NCVER employee, agent or third-party contractor. Students may opt out of the survey at the time of being contacted.

NCVER will collect, hold, use and disclose the students' personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the VET Data Policy and all NCVER policies and protocols (including those published on NCVER's website at www.ncver.edu.au).

Any person wishing to make a complaint (verbal, written or electronic) against the College concerning its conduct as an RTO, shall have access to the complaints and appeals procedure. Complaint and appeal requests are to be finalised as soon as possible.

Complaints received by the RTO will be acknowledged in writing and finalised as soon as practicable. Complaints can involve the conduct of the RTO’s officers (eg. RTO CEO, RTO Manager, Head of Faculty, Trainers and Assessors, any other member of the College staff), students or third-party service providers of the RTO. Any RTO officer may receive a complaint verbally, in writing or electronically. The RTO identifies two types of complaints:

• type 1: allegations of inappropriate behaviour and/or child protection. These allegations are processed according to the RTO’s complaints policy and procedure; and/or
• type 2: all other complaints.
• appeal of final assessment decision; and/or
• appeal of any other RTO decision.

Appeals should be made to the trainer/assessor in the first instance but can also be made to the RTO Manager or the Head of Faculty. All appeals received by the RTO will be acknowledged in writing and finalised as soon as practicable. Two types of appeal may be lodged:

Without limiting the action in type 1 complaints, the College complaints and appeals policy is publicly available and upholds the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness. A review of the issues that triggered the complaint is undertaken. The review aims to identify corrective actions that will eliminate or mitigate the likelihood of a similar complaint occurring in the future. A record of each appeal process is reviewed to identify and implement corrective actions that aim to eliminate or mitigate the likelihood of reoccurrence. Records of all complaints and appeals are securely retained and registered in the RTO’s Complaints and Appeals Register.

Complaints and appeals can be submitted to the RTO in writing using the RTO’s Complaints and Appeals form below. For detail on the Complaints procedure, please open the policy and procedure document via the link below titled ‘Complaints Policy and Procedures 2020’. The Complaints Officer will finalise complaints and appeals within 60 Calendar days. If more than 60 days are required, the complainant and respondent are informed in writing of the reasons for the need to extend the time required to finalise the complaint or appeal. The notice of outcome must be sent to student/parent/carer within 10 working days of outcome decision.

Please note, for any complaints or appeals concerning the following courses*, please direct to the relevant Registered Training Organisation (RTO):

• Certificate I in Construction (CPC10120) with St Laurence's College RTO No. 45963
• Certificate II in Engineering Pathways (MEM20413) in partnership with TAFE Queensland RTO No. 0275
• Certificate II in Electrotechnology (UEE22020) in partnership with TAFE Queensland RTO No. 0275
• Certificate III Fitness (SIS30315) in partnership with The College of Health and Fitness RTO No. 30798
• Certificate III in Engineering - Technical (MEM30505) in partnership with TAFE Queensland RTO No. 0275
• Certificate III in Business (BSB30115) in partnership with Binnacle Training RTO No. 30120
• Certificate II in Sport and Recreation (SIS20115) in partnership with The College of Health and Fitness RTO No. 30798 - Year 10 only
• Certificate II in Active Volunteering (CHC24015) with St Laurence's College RTO NO. 45963
• Certificate III in Aviation (Remote Pilot) (AVI30316) in partnership with UAVAIR RTO No. 1327

* Certificate courses listed above are not CRICOS registered and therefore not available to Visa 500 international students.

All external complaints and appeals should be directed to the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) via the link here.

To read the St Laurence’s College RTO Complaints and Appeals Policy and Procedures in full, and to access the Complaints and Appeals Record Form, please refer to the links below

• Complaints and Appeals Record Form
• Complaints, Principle and Procedures 2020

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is the process used to assess individuals’ existing level of knowledge and skills against individual or multiple units of competencies, which may be used to grant status or credit in a subject or unit of competency. If a student believes that they fulfil these requirements they should approach their teacher first, who will bring it to the attention of the Head of Vocational Education and Training. All VET students have access to a procedure that gives Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

At the beginning of each course, the Trainer/Assessor will be responsible for ensuring that the students are informed of the RPL and Credit Transfer procedures.Further RPL information and the RPL Student Application Form can be obtained through the Head of Vocational Education and Training or via the link below.

Each year, the Head of Vocational Education and Training will make students aware of the College’s RPL policy via the VET Student Induction. Teachers will bring students to the Head of Vocational Education and Training if the student would like to apply for RPL. When approached by a student seeking RPL, the Head of Vocational Education and Training will:

• provide the student with a copy of the RPL Student Application Form;
• provide the student with information about the types of evidence that can be used to support an RPL application;
• make a prompt decision and notify students of the outcome of the RPL process; and
• update the student’s records, if RPL is granted.

A student dissatisfied with the response to the RPL application may initiate an appeal. The St Laurence’s College Complaints and Appeals Record Form must be used. All RPL appeal applications are go to the Head of Vocational Education and Training:

• the Head of Vocational Education and Training will site the original RPL application, including the documented evidence that supported the student’s initial claim;
• the RPL appeal and its outcome will be recorded in writing in the Complaints and Appeals register. The Head of VET will provide feedback throughout the appeal process to the student;
• the student’s application will be re-assessed according to the Complaints and Appeals policy.