About VCE Vocational Major

The Vocational Major retains all the things that made VCAL great; flexible assessment, student choice, employability skills, ‘real world’ connections, and regular work placement, with improved curriculum and a Victorian Certificate of Education at the end. 
For the right person, it is an amazing opportunity to develop the skills, abilities and experiences that will make them confident, employable, and ready for whatever their future holds.
The VM is not for students who plan to go directly into university, it specifically prepares students for a pathway into the workforce, apprenticeships or traineeships, or TAFE.
VM students are very diverse and there are lots of reasons why it might be the right program for you. You might:
• be a practical learner
• enjoy hands on activities
• be a team player
• be a problem solver
• be adaptable and versatile
• enjoy developing life skills
• engage well with community projects
• enjoy learning outside the classroom
• be ready to further your abilities with a growth mindset
• be ready to get started on a chosen career
• want to explore the world of work to find your pathway
• be undertaking or ready to undertake a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship

How is VCE VM Structured?

VCE VM is a two-year program.

There are some compulsory subjects, but students can still access a wide range of VCE and VCE VET subjects.

Transition into VCE VM

For most students, VCE VM starts in Year 11. There are very limited opportunities for students to switch into VCE VM from VCE.

What is important to know about VCE VM?

We expect families to be familiar with these principles before enrolling.

Project-based Learning

A key component of VCE VM is event management and project-based learning. This is a different approach to the study of specific, traditional units, such as Physics.

Our VM students are engaged in activities where they work together to complete outcomes across units, based around a common project. This might be within the school or in a community partnership.

Why do we structure the program this way? To provide broader, deeper opportunities to learn. Project-based learning holds student interest for longer and creates transferable knowledge that is more readily applied to other practical settings.

Flexibility

The program is designed to be flexible and is structured around students’ interests. Students themselves are the driving force behind where the curriculum can go.

Where possible we tailor VCE VM to individual aspirations.

Being flexible in our delivery encourages students to be more adaptable and responsive to change in the wider world.

Student-driven not teacher-led

VM student are not passive recipients of knowledge, they are expected to take control of their learning including:

• suggesting topic and projects
• including their experiences and learning from outside school
• understanding and expressing how they learn best
• negotiating learning and assessment styles, and due dates
• identifying and working on the skills and knowledge they need for their future
• maintaining portfolios and tracking their own progress

Assessment

VCE VM units have competency-based assessment, which means students are only assessed on whether they have a skill or are still working towards attaining that skill. They are not given a grade.

There is flexibility in how and when students may be assessed, and students are expected to take an active part in making those decisions.

If students include a VCE Unit as part of their program, they are expected to complete all assessments in that subject as published except exams.

• VCE Units 1-2: VM students do all class assessments and may complete the end of semester exams as take-home assessments at the discretion of the subject teacher.
• VCE Units 3-4: VM students will be assessed in the same way as ‘Atypical’ VCE students – no grades will be awarded for School-based Assessed Coursework (SACs), and they do not sit VCAA written examinations.

Homework

Homework is kept to a minimum.

As VM is an applied learning pathway, students use their time after school in paid employment, sport and exploring their own interests.

VET Courses

Students must be enrolled in at least one VET subject.

This is compulsory requirement of the course. It is an opportunity to cultivate industry specific skills, attain a nationally recognised qualification and try out TAFE style learning.

Structured Workplace Learning

Students undertake a designated one-week block of work placement each term. Work placement is a compulsory and exciting element of the VM program at CCW, it provides students with an opportunity to learn about different workplaces, try out different occupations and develop a positive reputation amongst employers. Students are required to source and organise their own work placement, which is an important part of the learning process. There is also flexibility to undertake additional work placements by negotiation.