As it happened VCE results 2024: Victorian Year 12 students receive results, ATARS

McClelland College VCE Vocational Major student and Instagram influencer Alyssa Vella is blazing a trail as a tradie.

Alyssa, who is seven weeks into a full-time apprenticeship in cabinet making, estimates that opting for this pathway has put her on a fast track.

“It’s a head start of two or three years on where I would have (otherwise) been,” says the 17-year-old.

She’s worked hard to get where she is, attending school two days a week, TAFE one day a week, and working two different placements – as well as cultivating a social media following of more than 100,000 people.

Her placements over the past two years have included a timber mill called Aim Building Group in Cranbourne West, Noble Country Furniture in Dandenong, and Able Cabinets in Dandenong South.

She is now pursuing her full-time apprenticeship at TLD Kitchens where she is already impressing colleagues with her craftsmanship.

Alyssa says her family initially had some misgivings about what might be perceived as an unusual career choice.

“I think they were worried it might be difficult, or I might get bullied, but when I actually went into the industry, I wasn’t the only girl, and all the men were really accepting.”

Her principal Laura Spence says Alyssa is an example of using social media in a beneficial way.

“This entrepreneurial endeavour has not only provided Alyssa with a unique skill set but also allowed her to merge her social media presence with her industry work,” she says.

“Alyssa’s dedication to promoting trades to young women, coupled with her ability to navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with being a woman in this field, has positioned her as a role model.”