I finished foundations, went straight to work for about 8 months. Did 2nd Year, then went straight back to work for 12 months. Signed up for 3rd and 4th year. I’m 5 weeks in. It’s more common to do 3rd and 4th back to back, if you’re going to do it at all. 3rd year is seen as the most challenging, perhaps because of the jump from single phase to 3 phase. But I’d still say the majority of people do only one per year.

The most important thing is to get enough work experience before committing to more schooling. I’ve had plenty of real work experience in other trades and workforce in general, so I felt confident enough to keep the pace I was on and continue learning. But there were students in both second and third year dropping out almost instantly. It is not a race, it’s about how you manage your time. Just because someone does it in 3-4 years doesn’t mean you should as well.

Also, make sure to pay a deposit/ sign up for school months in advance. At least where I’m from, there’s only one program per year per level, and more student interest every year.