Big changes are coming to Victoria's secondary schools next year the Victorian Labor Government has announced.
As of next year, the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) will be combined. Instead of VCAL, students will be able to complete the new VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate.
Under the Vocational Major certificate, students will undertake studies in literacy, numeracy, work related skills and personal development skills - as well as 180 hours of VET, their choice of other traditional VCE studies, and time in the workplace.
There will be six priority pathways in the core offering: health, community services and early childhood education, building and construction, digital and media technologies, hospitality, and engineering. Other pathways that will also be available to students will be automotive, agriculture and environment, hair and beauty, creative industries, sport and recreation, and business.
Education Minister James Merlino said Victoria was in a different place to what it was when VCE and VCAL were introduced.
"Study towards the important jobs that build and care for our state has the same value as any other education after school – and more young Victorians than ever before are pursuing careers in booming trades and services," he said.
"For many students, getting industry experience and combining an apprenticeship with school is the best way to set them up for the good, decent jobs they want to do."
Warragul Regional College principal Nicole Pryor said the reform is exciting and offers a good opportunity for all in the vocational space, such as TAFEs and community colleges to build and strengthen relationships.
"I think it's a really good opportunity for all of us in that vocational space to build our relationships... and to continue to work together," she said.
"We've run a VCAL program for a very long time, where students all undertake VET studies and work placements, they are part of Head Start apprenticeships, they do structured workplace learning. All of those things will still exist for us but under the new Vocational Major structure."
She said the school was looking into differences in requirements for literacy, numeracy, and work-related skills, as well as how to go about scheduling with the wider VCE subject opportunities across the Vocational major.
Ms Pryor said that the emphasis on the future world of work is also an exciting part of the reform.
TAFE Gippsland's chief executive officer Grant Radford also welcomed the announcement. He said TAFE Gippsland was working both internally and with colleagues in the education system to prepare for when the reforms come into effect next year.
"These reforms to our secondary education system will further strengthen TAFE Gippsland's capacity to provide greater vocational education and training pathways for young people in our region, providing them with more opportunities to learn the necessary skills in order to gain meaningful employment sooner," Mr Radford said.