• Home
• -System
• Articles

Chris, Roving reporter

Vocational Pathways Awards 2007

School is not for everyone. More specifically, the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is not for everyone. In fact, because of the academic way it is assessed, VCE subjects have little correlation to that "real life" thing we hear so many people talking about.

Enter VET and VCAL

Vocational Education and Training (VET) and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) provide alternative (but integrated) ways of studying and getting into the workforce.

Like VCE, VCAL is an accredited secondary school certificate administered by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). It allows students to elect to study VCE and VET training modules in addition to modules form the four VCAL strands, which are:

• Literacy and numeracy skills
• Work-related skills
• Industry specific Skills
• Personal development skills

Students can switch between VCE and VCAL depending on which they feel most suits their specific needs.

VET is part of both VCAL and VCE. VET subjects can double as both a vocational course and VCE units.

The 2007 Vocational Pathways Awards

On Monday 22 October 2007 training providers, students and teachers from schools in the Grampians area came together to celebrate and reward the achievements of students in vocational programs. The huge attendance came as a pleasant surprise for the organisers, the Central Grampians Local Learning and Employment Network (CGLLEN).

Entertainment was provided VET Music students who'd formed a band with the curious name Wallaby Stew.

Two guest speakers, Angie Ruddle from Ararat Community College (who is studying Certificate II in Retail while completing her VCE), and Jordan Mackley (who is studying Certificate II in Engineering at Stawell Secondary College), spoke about the ways in which they had benefited from their respective vocational programs.

Employers who walked away with an award on the night included:

• Bartco
• East Grampians Health Service
• Jack and Jill Kindergarten
• St Andrews Kindergarten
• Blue Cameo Hair Salon
• Stawell Joinery
• Ararat Retirement Village
• Northern Grampians Shire Council Children's Services Taylors Gully and Occasional Care
• YMCA Ararat
• PS & JD Baker Automotive

Student winners included:

• Jake Patterson (Certificate II in Automotive)
• Grace Reid (Certificate II in Equine Studies)
• Jorah Margetson (Certificate II in Engineering)
• Jason Grellet (Certificate II in Automotive)
• Ross Colley (Certificate II in Building and Construction)
• Jared Price (VET Engineering)
• Thea Hinchliffe (Certificate II In Equine Studies)
• Holly Boyd (Certificate II In Equine Studies)
• Jess Welsh (Certificate II In Equine Studies)
• Rachael Murray (Certificate II In Equine Studies)
• Brady Turner (Certificate II in Building and Construction)
• Melanie Philips (Introduction to Community Services)

Alternative pathways

"We've been looking at providing alternative pathways to students for eight or nine years now. We've been fully involved in the VET program and also now with VCAL and the Australian School Based Apprenticeships and I think it's shown in the retention rate through to year 12, " said Bill Slatter, Principal of Marian College in Ararat, a big supporter of vocational programs.

"Nine years ago we had twenty-five students in year 12 and now for the same sort of numbers coming into year 7 next year we're looking at sixty-six, and I think that's because of all these different pathways to keep the students at school and involved and engaged."

"There's so much now for those students who would've dropped out at the end of year 9 or year 10. It's great to see students actually enjoying their schooling now."

For more about VCAL and VET, check out our Courses and study options section.

BACK TO MORE ARTICLES