Accelerated Mode: Leverage Life and Work Experience to Graduate Sooner

ITAC's unique Accelerated Mode is designed so mature-aged students can leverage their wealth of work-life experience to complete a qualification sooner. It’s particularly relevant to candidates who have raised children, worked in ‘people’ or ‘caring’ industries, or who have studied at higher levels. It means not having to adhere to slower learning plans, often designed around those with little relevant experience, such as students at high school age.

Given the focus of education support on child-related skills, many mature-aged students bring a plethora of experiences to the table. This enables them progress faster while still exceeding the required competency standards. The end result is more time in the workforce, meaning more money in your pocket, and are more targeted, suitable, and enjoyable learning experience.

How is the course structured and how long does it take?

Accelerated Mode is a structured and supported pathway for eligible learners, designed to take ten weeks. However, as the course is self-paced, the time to complete may vary. Some students may finish sooner while others may take longer. All students have the full 18-month enrolment period, if needed.

For the Teacher Aide Combo, students typically complete one theory module every two weeks. This requires 8 weeks (4 modules). Students are encouraged to complete half of their placement during this time (around one day per week) and the other half in the final two weeks. Our mature-aged learners often prefer to complete the practical over a longer period, due to work-life commitments.

What are the entry requirements?

Accelerated Mode has additional entry requirements. This is to ensure only students who are likely to be successful in this mode are accepted. It’s an easy but necessary process so we can ensure students are directed to the program that best suits their learning needs.

You will be asked to provide least 2 (preferably 4) examples that demonstrate adequate work-life experience, totalling 2000 hours or more. We also require at least one piece of evidence, such as a payslip (we may ask for more).

Your work-life experience may come from a wide range of sources, such as:

Our online application form will help you tally up 2000+ hours from at least two sources. It’s actually quite simple and easy to do. Standard application processes apply in addition to the above.

What are transferrable skills?

Transferrable skills are generic skills that a person can apply across different industries and workplaces. It’s the main basis for the Accellerated Mode and the reason why we require 2000 relevant hours of experience. The best way to explain transferrable skills is with an example. Take Sarah, for example, who has eight years of experience working as an office administrator for an accounting firm. From this experience, Sarah brings many skills that are highly relevant to her course. This includes:

Sarah has mastered her role as an office administrator in an accounting firm. This experience has provided her with a raft of skills that are transferrable to her new workplace. In addition, having successfully completed the learning curve required to master her previous role, Sarah is far better placed to undertake a new learning curve in the educational environment.

This example shows how transferrable skills apply across two seemingly unrelated workplaces. Candidates with experience in child or people-related industries, or those with direct experience raising or caring for children, will be able to demonstrate an even stronger relationship between their work-life experience and education support. Parents, in particular, have thousands of hours of highly relevant experience, enabling them to achieve competency against accredited standards much faster and easier.

How flexible is this mode?

Very flexible is the answer. ITAC specialises in providing pathways that enable mature-aged adults to be successful. Because of this, we recognise that our students demand structured, supported and flexible programs delivered in a friendly, respectful, adult-oriented environment. If you have the skills and knowledge to do so, finishing even sooner is possible. If it takes longer than expected, or other commitments mean you have less time than initially planned, simply complete the program over a longer period. You can study one hour per week or 50 hours per week – it’s up to you!

Should I do RPL instead?

We encourage you to consider RPL, however it suits very few people due to its assessment-only nature, requiring full knowledge of all aspects of every unit. RPL is an assessment-only process meaning there is no training involved. Many therefore opt for our Accelerated Mode instead. With this mode, you get 18 months instead of six, access to all resources and materials, full trainer support services, and the ability to refresh you skills along the way.

Why is Accelerated Mode not available for Certificate III?

Accellerated Mode is generally not suitable for the learning needs of students engaged in entry-level programs, such as the Certificate III.

To Sum Up

For those with work and life experience, the fast-track Accelerated Mode is the perfect way to leverage your decades of acquired skills. If you find it difficult to keep up, no problem, you still have up to 18 months to complete your course – not to mention the full support of ITAC’s experienced and friendly trainers, and our links to 1000s of partnering schools.