Rhianna Bridgett

VCE VET Certificate II in Hospitality (Operations), 2006
Student, Certificate IV in Hospitality (Supervision), 2007

"I've always been interested in hospitality. My mum worked in a restaurant in the city.

My career teacher said that Vocational Education Training (VET) opens your options at the end of Year 12 - you don't have to base your future just on applying through VTAC. So I chose to do the VET Certificate II in Hospitality (Operations) course at Victoria University.

It was a break from my normal VCE subjects: I went to a new campus, met new people and classes were hands-on, which suited my learning style. We called the teachers by their first names, which created a friendly and respectful atmosphere.

The teachers had previously worked in the hospitality industry. Doing the VET course at VU was like you were working in a real restaurant. You forgot you were at school because your training included serving real customers.

I aim to work in hotel management and use that to travel."