Do you think you could run a business at the age of 22? "I do," says 17-year-old Julie Tomovska, without hesitating, as she talks about her plans.

Julie has wanted to be a hairdresser since she was a little girl. "I'm very hands-on and I thought it looked like a good job," she says.

Julie was intent on leaving school at the end of Year 10 so she could start her apprenticeship. But then she found out about school-based apprenticeships (SBAs).

With a SBA, Julie has accessed TAFE courses through her school, started her apprenticeship doing paid work in a local salon on Saturdays and plans to finish Year 12.

"It's a really great opportunity. I'm doing what I like to do but I'll also have my HSC behind me," she says.

As an example of the many different options now available in schools, Julie also did a new Board of Studies course called Industry-based Learning, a self-paced course which gives her two units of credit towards her HSC, based on the on-the-job component of her SBA.

Julie's subjects are hairdressing, retail operations, property services, business studies and English. Her school has supported Julie by reconfiguring her timetable to fit an extra TAFE course. "They've been very supportive," she says.

However, her studies allow for a Plan B of a career in the property sector if for some reason her hairdressing dreams fall through.

In retail studies, for example, Julie is learning how to interact with customers, how to sell and how to give advice on products - all vital skills for any business.

A standard apprenticeship in hairdressing takes three years full-time. Including the HSC, Julie's school-based apprenticeship will take four years. When Julie completes her HSC, she'll be a second-year apprentice.

Julie is adamant she would not have stayed at school without the SBA. "If a school-based apprenticeship wasn't available I would have dropped out of school."

Her belief in the program is so strong she encouraged her younger brother to follow her lead. "He saw I was enjoying my classes, so I said to him, 'Why don't you go for it?'"

Julie's brother is now studying mechanics under an SBA and working at Toyota. "I would recommend it to anyone," she says.

Julie's parents are equally enthusiastic. They had worried about the consequences of her leaving school early. "They're definitely happy with my decision," she says.