Victoria has VCAL as well as VCE, where young people do classes through TAFE that can be part of an apprenticeship. I'm not fully up on the details, but one person i know works at the childcare centre one day a week, has classes at the TAFE and classes at the high school, and it really works for her. Another couple of kids do it in building, and woodwork/carpentry (he is a chippie), so there are a few different options.

Maybe this is the reason for the raise in age, so young people can start their apprenticeship straight from school and don't leave school out of frustration and then be stuck with nothing do until they aquire an apprenticeship.