An Australian Technical College (ATC) which opened in Queanbeyan this week promises to give Year 10 school-leavers a head start in pursuing a trade, without depriving them of their senior-school education.

As the 25th Australian Technical College in the country, and the 7th in NSW, the Queanbeyan campus aims to provide students with the opportunity to complete Years 11 and 12 whilst working and training towards their chosen trade, whether it be automotive, carpentry, electrical and commercial cookery.

Students have responded positively to this. As Eloise Staudinger, aged 17, who wants to be an electrician, said "Now I can finish Year 12 and also finish my apprenticeship earlier. Doing it this way, I get one year off my apprenticeship."

Eloise says she was going to drop out of school after Year 10, but thanks to this new college, she can have the best of both worlds.

And it's not only students who will benefit. ATC will produce well-trained apprentices, meaning that local businesses will be certain of skilled, keen employees.

The learning process at ATV involves students spending three days a week in the classroom, one day in practical training and another day in their chosen workplace. Apart from the flexible, training-guaranteed and career-boosting structure, Eloise also likes the fact that teachers treat you like adults at ATC - it is totally different from 'typical' school in many ways.

Indeed, the principal of ATC at Queanbeyan said that the college's purpose was to provide student's with a kick start in their trade, saying that most of the students wouldn't be in school if it wasn't for such technical colleges.