In order to improve retention rates in senior secondary school and industry demands for well-educated, skilled entry level employees, schools have been rethinking their curriculum to cater for a broader range of needs. VET in schools programs are seen as:
VET in schools provides an opportunity for students to learn from experience in training institutions and actual workplaces and to gain a nationally recognised qualification. The effective combination of work placement and training requires planning to ensure that students receive benefits from both. Instruction in training contexts and the workplace must maximise opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement of competencies. VET in schools provides an opportunity for schools and industry to work together in the preparation of students for employment and further training.
Experience with programs has shown that there is real potential for the practical training experience to complement VCE studies and to help students improve performance in their VCE because of increased awareness of the application and relevance of their learning.
Many schools have established a VET in the VCE implementation team — a small group of people committed to and involved in developing a program for the school.
An implementation plan guides phased development of the school’s commitment to VET programs. It deals with:
Effective school–community partnerships are crucial for the success of most VET in the VCE programs. Schools conduct a variety of programs with their local community, often involving local employers in a range of activities, including work experience and selection of students for employment. Useful local networks already exist and can be built on through the process of implementing a VET in the VCE program. Employers are key people for the delivery of work-based programs. They will be more committed when they can make decisions about the practical learning aspects of programs and participate in decisions and provide advice about the best way for programs to be conducted. This is an opportunity for active partnerships between industry and education.
A number of industry–education networks already exist and can provide support and advice.
Making a decision about the best VCE VET program for your school means consideration of a range of questions and issues:
Many of these are not unique to VET in the VCE and are part of all schools’ procedures for deciding on the content and purposes of their curriculum.
Before finalising decisions on which program to introduce, it is important to establish staff commitment and student interest and ensure that resources are available. Support from TAFE and industry will be an important component. The process for establishing all of these can take some time. Many schools have decided to begin with one program in their first year of involvement; however, this is largely dependent on resources and student demand. Careful counseling of students about options and pathways and informing parents are crucial in the planning stage well before a program is introduced.
Establishing that the necessary resources and teacher expertise are available to cover the training requirements for a VET program may necessitate discussions with a local TAFE institute.
Questions such as the content of the VET program, who can teach them and what equipment is required may best be dealt with in partnership with TAFE. Schools should acquire copies of the relevant VET curriculum or training package.
Check:
VET in the VCE programs require students to work in a number of learning modes across the VCE and the VET qualification. In most cases, students are required to work in more than one location, relating not only to their teachers but also to training instructors, employers and workers in the industry. However, it is often these very experiences which are attractive to students who may be less motivated in more conventional classrooms. They can respond positively to the structured expectations of a training instructor or employer and the practical application of classroom work.
A process of information and counseling for both students and parents is essential. It is important to clarify course expectations and benefits, future pathways, and what it means to work at school and at a TAFE institute or Group Training Company and workplace.
The decision to include VET in the VCE in a student’s program of studies should be based on:
Employers will often wish to participate in selection of trainees when industry placement is involved.