High school and high-vis – a great match

Luke built a welding table, landed a job at BAE, and skipped the Shakespeare. Find out how SA’s new tech colleges are changing the game for hands-on learners.

Luke never liked writing essays. But building a steel welding table that everyone in the workshop now uses – that’s more his style.

Now in year 12, the 18-year-old is one of the first Findon Technical College students to land a job through the school’s hands-on training program, scoring a school-based apprenticeship with defence giant BAE Systems Australia as a fabrication technician.

“I get to see stuff I’ve actually made being used,” Luke says. “It’s a really rewarding feeling. You think, ‘I did that’.”

He now works full-time at Osborne Naval Shipyard, where he’s training to become a fabrication technician (AKA boilermaker) – a trade that, despite the name, is all about building big, tough components used in ships, submarines, and (if Luke has his way) maybe even space rockets one day.

I originally applied because I wanted to work with spacecraft. I knew BAE had a part in that, so I thought, maybe shipbuilding now, rocket ships later.

Luke 
Findon Technical College Student

His journey started last year when he joined Findon Technical College in Year 11. By combining his SACE with a Cert II in Engineering – and later a Cert III – Luke was able to swap English essays for welding gear and develop his literacy skills while working in his chosen industry.

“I’m not really a ‘blabber on’ kind of person,” he says. “Findon Tech gave me the chance to actually build stuff, not just talk about it.”

So what are technical colleges?

They’re a new kind of high school – one where you learn by doing, not sitting in a classroom. That means real-world skills, real experience, and a head start on your career.

Luke says the difference was night and day.

At a mainstream school it's a lot of word limits and reports. At Findon, the maths and English we learned was practical - like workplace maths and communication. Everything actually felt useful.

Luke 

Findon Technical College student

Built for the real world

What makes these colleges different isn’t just the equipment – it’s the connection to industry.

Each college has been co-designed with employers who help shape the curriculum, provide mentorship, and in many cases, offer jobs to graduates.

And in some programs, students can even complete the first year of a uni degree while still in year 12, thanks to a partnership with Flinders University. That means you could start a nursing, engineering or early childhood degree before you even graduate – no ATAR needed.

The colleges’ model isn’t one-size-fits-all, either: Three of the colleges – Findon, Tonsley and The Heights – offer full-time enrolment, while two regional colleges – Port Augusta and Limestone Coast – use a block-based model. That means students stay enrolled at their regular school and attend the tech college in week-long training blocks throughout the year. It’s ideal for students in more remote areas, and on-site accommodation is available if needed.

Whichever model students choose, they’re learning real skills and connecting with real employers – and that’s exactly how Luke landed his apprenticeship.

BAE Systems is one of Findon Technical College’s key partners, along with Axiom, Liebherr, Helping Hand, Southern Cross Care, Goodstart, Precious Cargo and more.

“The production team at BAE have been amazing,” he says. “They’re proud of what they do, and they want us to succeed too.”

This story originally appeared on The Post - a media partnership between the Government of South Australia and Solstice Media to inform young South Australians about the policies that underpin issues affecting their lives