To make sure vocational education meets the needs of today’s senior secondary students, by 2025, VCE will be one program that offers more vocational learning options to all students in a school or a TAFE.
Ben Jenkinson, Associate Director of Education at Chisholm, says the shift will give VCE students at Chisholm more flexibility and help them fast-track into their careers of choice – whether that’s nursing, psychology, business, a trade, or something else.
“Students will be able to walk out of TAFE with a VCE qualification and be on their way to a diploma or another qualification in their study area as well,” says Ben.
Here’s what you should keep in mind about the upcoming changes to VCE.
What is the VCE Vocational Major?
From 2023, the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) name will change to the ‘VCE Vocational Major’ (VM).
As a student in the Vocational Major, you can choose practical elective VCE-VET subjects and qualifications that interest you – like health, hair and beauty, or automotive –with hands-on training, alongside the core VCE-VM subjects.
To achieve the Vocational Major, you’ll complete:
- 16 units over two years, including core units of Literacy, Numeracy, Work Related Skills, and Personal Development Skills
- 180 hours of vocational education and training (VET) at Certificate II-III level, which may include work placements.
A bigger change happens in 2025, when VCE will become one united program that allows students to seamlessly merge traditional VCE subjects, with VM units, as well as VET. At Chisholm, this can possibly include Higher Education studies too.
Ben says this will allow students to map their studies to better cater to their specific learning needs and career interests. It will also enable students to fast track their study by working towards two qualifications at the same time: the VCE and VET certificate or a diploma.
“You’ll be able to study VCE and VET at Chisholm and then continue with the same vocational teachers straight into a Diploma or Bachelor degree right here in the same facilities at Chisholm” he explains.
“For example, if you choose a psychology-themed VCE, you can continue straight into our Psychology pathway in Higher Education via our Diploma or Bachelor degree.”
Why are these changes happening?
As well as giving students more options, Ben says the shift to ‘One VCE’ will strengthen professional pathways for students and help to get rid of any perception that vocational learning is less valuable or beneficial than a purely academic route.
How will it work for students?
As a student taking part in the program, you will work towards a qualification – such as a Diploma of Nursing, Certificate in Plumbing or Bachelor of Psychology – at the same time as completing your Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).
For example, as a nursing student, you’ll complete the four core VCE-VM units alongside your nursing training, and you can mix and match other VCE electives.
“By 2025, that nursing student will be able to choose, for example, VCE English and maybe VM numeracy instead of Maths Methods. They can interchange these subjects and it becomes a really flexible and personal thing,” says Ben.
What areas can you study?
The VCE Vocational Major will include a wide range of vocational education and training (VET) options. At Chisholm, this includes:
- Construction Trades: Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, Bricklaying
- Health & Community Care: Health Assistant, Nursing, Aged Care, Community Services, Psychology
- Sport: Sport & Recreation, Fitness, Sports Management
- Choices: Any other Chisholm VET pathway courses (e.g. Business, IT, Hospitality, etc.).
Ben says, for example, Chisholm’s VCE Sport program, including the usual VCE subjects such as Physical Education and Health and Human Development, as well as a boutique Sports Academy gives students a taste of the sports industry and a fantastic head start into a career in this field.
“The Sports Academy gives our VCE students an extra opportunity to train or improve their skill and their fitness under the under the expert tutelage of AFL, AFLW, VNL and/or NBL coaches,” he says.
“This is great for their own sports performance and potential talent identification, plus, students get access to sporting organisations, so they can do their practical placement and get a foot in the door into sports administration or sports management.”
Where can it take you?
After completing your VCE Vocational Major, you’ll be set up to take the next step towards your career.
Depending on your study area, this could be an apprenticeship in an automotive workshop, a traineeship as a healthcare worker, further study towards a higher qualification like a bachelor’s degree, or directly into a job in your industry.
What are the benefits of studying VCE at TAFE?
Ben says studying VCE at a TAFE like Chisholm gives students access to practical, hands-on learning and teachers with real industry experience and connections.
“For example, in the VCE-VM nursing program, we have teachers who are registered nurses. Then we have expert carpenters and plumbers and other professional people who are teaching with us, while still working in the field – and students are learning in purpose-built facilities designed for industry training.”
Ben adds that, by mapping out their studies at Chisholm, students can be sure of a pathway into further study or training after VCE.
“We take all that pressure and stress off the young person; we create a good environment for them here. They know that once they start with Chisholm VCE or VCE-VM they’ll get VIP access to that longer study pathway into a real career.”
Explore your options with VCE and VCE Vocational Major at Chisholm.
