The Learning Academic Skills Support program was designed to improve progression and retention rates for students articulating from vocational education into the Bachelor of Hospitality Management at Holmesglen Institute. The program is scheduled around the student experience during their first semester in higher education and incorporates academic, information literacy and student welfare support. An analysis of the effectiveness of the program in terms of the student perspective as well as progression and retention rates forms the basis of the research project that underpins this paper. Findings indicate that the program has been successful during its initial implementation. Students demonstrated improved results, retention rates increased and students cited improvement in their own capabilities around academic writing, research and referencing.