VCE-VM & VCP
The VCE Vocational Major (VM) is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years. The VCE VM will give students greater choice and flexibility to pursue their strengths and interests and develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in further education, work and life.
It prepares students to move into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways) or directly into the workforce.
The purpose of the VCE VM is to provide students with the best opportunity to achieve their personal goals and aspirations in a rapidly changing world by:
- equipping them with the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners and confident and creative individuals
- empowering them to make informed decisions about the next stages of their lives through real-life workplace experiences.
The Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) is an inclusive Year 11 and 12 standards-based certificate that meets the needs of a smaller number of students who are not able or ready to complete the VCE (including the VCE Vocational Major). It provides an enriched curriculum and excellent support for students to develop the skills, capabilities and qualities for success in personal and civic life.
The VPC is an accredited foundation secondary qualification under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006. It aligns to Level 1 in the Australian Qualifications Framework. While the VPC is not a senior secondary qualification, it can be a pathway to the VCE.
The VPC is designed to develop and extend pathways for young people, while providing flexibility for different cohorts. The VPC is suitable for students whose previous schooling experience may have been disrupted for a variety of reasons, including students with additional needs, students who have missed significant periods of learning and vulnerable students at risk of disengaging from their education. Students will gain the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to make informed choices about pathways into a senior secondary qualification, entry level vocational education and training (VET) course or employment.
The curriculum accommodates student aspirations and future employment goals. VPC learning programs connect students to industry experiences and active participation in the community. Through participation in the VPC students will gain necessary foundation skills to allow them to make a post-schooling transition.
Find out more about the VPC in the VPC Administrative Handbook 2023.
Work Related Skills
In Work Related Skills (WRS), students learn about different community and working environments to prepare for employment. In Unit One, students explore Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements of different work environments and prepare applications for pursuing work opportunities within those environments. This often takes the form of worksite visits and tours and interviews with people from different industries.
In Unit Two, students plan, research and carry out projects that demonstrate employability skills and follow OHS procedures. Projects are usually carried out in the garden and workshop space, some examples of projects completed include the construction of the pizza oven, the shade sail installation and the MEC farm.
Personal Development Skills
In Personal Development Skills (PDS), students develop knowledge, skills and attributes that lead to self-development and community engagement. In Unit One students explore issues, causes and complete projects to promote awareness. Students build resilience, efficacy and planning and problem solving skills to better prepare themselves to connect with their community.
In Unit Two, students interact and cooperate with community groups to engage with their community. They learn about the roles of different members within the community and explore ways to participate support their cause.
For further information read the MEC Later Years Curriculum Handbook